


Painting a Prince

by blackimpala



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Artist!Dean, Bottom Castiel, Bottom Dean, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Homophobia, M/M, Minor Character Death, POV Castiel, Switching, Top Castiel, Top Dean, although some scenes will have Dean's pov but mostly it's Castiel's, prince!castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-01 02:24:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 126,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10178555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackimpala/pseuds/blackimpala
Summary: After spending most of his summer locked in the house, Castiel, the son of Duke Novak, decides to leave it for a couple of hours and goes to the woods, meeting Dean, another lonely kid who treats him like an equal and who runs to the woods to get some freedom like Castiel. The two kids quickly develop a strong friendship, slowly falling in love, until they get together, keeping it a secret because homosexual love is forbidden and condemned. But they are discovered and forced to go on separate ways, until fifteen years later, they meet again, but things are even more difficult than before.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still working on this fic, and I don't know when I'm going to be able to update it, probably one a month, because every chapter is quite long. As always, my apologies for every mistake you might find in this fic, given that English isn't my mother tongue and I don't have a beta.
> 
> Tagged as explicit because of things that will happen in future episodes.
> 
> The story starts in the beginnings of the 1800s.

Castiel sighed. He loved reading and he loved re-reading his favorite books over and over again, but he needed to do something different. He was tired of spending his days locked in the house. Sometimes he went outside and played in the garden with his big brother Gabriel, but they weren’t allowed to go outside the fence. Even though their parents were in the capital most of the time, leaving their children in the town of Esomal, neither Castiel nor Gabriel were allowed to do much; they had to stay inside most of the time, and it could be a torture, especially in summer.

Once again, Castiel tried to focus on his reading, but he could hear birds singing outside, despite having the windows and the door that leaded to the balcony closed. He wanted to go out, to explore the forest behind the big house and to leave the constricting walls of his bedroom. He could take a walk and nobody would notice. Unlike Gabriel, Castiel was quiet and gave no trouble to their governess and all the servants in the house. They barely paid attention to Castiel because he was a good kid, but they always made sure that he followed the rules his parents instructed him. Gabriel, on the other hand, drove everyone mad, which gave Castiel more liberty, and he wanted to use that leverage to his own convenience.

He closed his book and opened the door that leaded to the balcony. He took a quick look around. During this time, their gardener didn’t work, and most of the servants were taking a break or were following Gabriel around to keep him away from doing one of his pranks. Their governess wouldn’t disturb Castiel for about four hours, which gave him a big amount of time to spend on his own without anyone noticing he was gone.

There was a climbing plant next to his balcony that kept climbing thanks to an iron structure that he could use to climb down. He was a good climber, thanks to Gabriel, who taught him. His big brother could be mean and naughty, but he adored his little brother Castiel and taught him a lot of things. He also pranked him, but not as much as he did with their servants.

Carefully, he climbed down, looking around for anyone who could see him, but fortunately, he was alone. He made it to the ground perfectly and walked towards a stone sculpture of a lion, the closest to the fence. Again, he checked around before climbing the stone animal and reached the fence. It was hard to climb, but thanks to the lion, he was almost on the top of it, so he could easily go to the other side and jump, falling onto the grass, smiling pleased. There were some hedges on the other side of the fence, and Castiel made a mental note of using them to climb the fence for when he came back.

When he stood up, he smiled pleased, wondering why he didn’t do this before. Maybe because it didn’t occur it to him, or because the previous years he wasn’t as tall as he needed to be for this. He grew a lot during the past year, but they had been in that house since spring began and he hadn’t had the courage to do it until now. Maybe he just needed to find the perfect time or the perfect day, who knows. All Castiel knew during that moment was that he was free from his bedroom and he could take a walk through the woods, something he had wanted to do for a really long time.

He walked quite fast, only slowing his pace when he was sure that he couldn’t be spotted from the house. When he walked slowly, he was able to enjoy the soft breeze of the summer, the sounds of the birds and the cicadas singing along with the sounds the leaves made when the breeze caressed them. The sun shone brightly, and when he was in the woods, the sunlight illuminated the place beautifully, like any of those many stories he had read. There was a game of light and light shadows in the woods, making Castiel see the many different colors of the nature. He wondered why he and Gabriel were forbidden to see that beauty.

He kept walking, making sure to have some references so he could walk back to the house without getting lost. He had a good memory and a good sense of direction, but still, he wanted to remember every single detail so he could go back. If they found he left, or worse, if they found he got lost, his father would come from the capital and ground him for the rest of his life and yell at him and it he got really angry, he could beat him. His father was most of the time angry, but he could be angrier, and that was really scary. He only had beat Castiel a couple of times, But Castiel hasn’t forgotten any of them. Whenever his father quarreled him, Castiel ended up crying, this enraged his father, because men mustn’t cry. Castiel hated his father’s attitude, but it was easier to follow his rules and be an obedient son.

Immersed in his thoughts, Castiel didn’t notice the boy sitting on the grass, his back rested against the trunk of a huge oak, concentrated on doing something on a notebook, until he was at a less than nine feet from him. He stopped on the place, unsure of what to do. As a son of a Duke and the nephew of the King, Castiel barely knew other kids, and much less kids that weren’t nobility. The kid sitting in front of him seemed to be of his age, eleven years old. There was something mesmerizing about that kid; he had light brown hair and he had freckles on his skin. He couldn’t see his face, because he had it tilted down, looking down at his notebook. But suddenly, the boy lifted his face, noticing Castiel’s presence, and the action startled Castiel at first, but then he was able to look at the kid’s face properly and he stared at him.

The other boy had more freckles on his face, scattered on his skin as if they were like the stars in the night sky and he had the most beautiful eyes Castiel had ever seen; they were green, as green as the grass, shining bright thanks to the sunlight leaking through the leafy trees.

The green eyed boy stared at Castiel for a while, almost in the same way Castiel was staring at him. Then, he made a pretty, tiny smile and said, “Hey.”

“Hello,” Castiel said.

“Are you lost?”

Castiel frowned. “No. Why do you ask?”

The boy shrugged. “People barely come through these woods. And it’s easy to get lost in here if you don’t know it.”

Castiel nodded. “I’m just taking a walk.” He took a few steps closer to the boy. A few times he and his family went outside to buy things in the capital and when the other people that weren’t nobility saw them, they looked at them and at their clothes, clearly knowing about their wealth and their social status, with a stare that showed how inferior they felt compared to their family, and how much they envied them and hated them; Castiel hated that stare. But the boy in front of him was looking at him as if he was just another boy, not someone to be looked as a superior just because of his last name and their money. “What’s your name?”

“Dean. Dean Winchester,” Dean said. “And yours?”

“Castiel Novak.”

Dean made an impressed face. “So you live in that big house at the end of the forest?”

Castiel nodded and looked down, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Now that Dean knew who he was, he would look at him differently, in the way everybody else looked at him. But when he lifted his head to meet Dean’s eyes, there wasn’t that stare, instead, his eyes were full of curiosity and something warm that Castiel had never seen in any other person.

“What about you?” Castiel prompted, curiously, wanting to know more about Dean. “What are you doing in the woods?”

Dean’s cheeks acquired a soft blush and he smiled, shyly. Castiel worried that his question was inappropriate. The only kid he ever talked to was his brother, who was two years older than him, so he didn’t have too much experience on talking with other kids. But his worries disappeared when Dean spoke, “I’m drawing.”

“You do?” Castiel asked, excited and smiling. He loved art and although he wasn’t great at it, he wasn’t bad either. “Can I see your drawing?”

Dean grinned and nodded. “Sure.”

Castiel approached him, walking the small distance that separated them and he sat down, next to Dean, who rested the notebook on his knees, allowing Castiel to see his drawing. Castiel dropped his jaw, amazed by the talent of the green eyed boy. He was incredible. It was a charcoal drawing of the woods they were, and it looked real. And even though it wasn’t finished, it was extraordinary and full of details.

“Wow,” Castiel said, still looking at the drawing. “Dean, you are so talented.”

“You think so?” Dean asked timidly, with a sweet smile on his lips.

“Of course. You are amazing. We have paintings in our house that are almost as good as what you draw.”

Dean rolled his eyes and chuckled. “You’re exaggerating.”

“No, I’m not.” He wasn’t. They had paintings that were incredible, but nothing could compare with what Dean was drawing. He was so talented. “Do you have more drawings?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Can I see them?”

Dean smiled, and it was a beautiful smile. “Sure.”

Dean showed him his other drawings, which were finished, and Castiel loved all and each of them. Dean was really amazing and so talented, and when he explained him about his drawings, his voice was full of happiness and joy, and it was contagious. The two of them smiled brightly and widely as they talked about Dean’s drawings.

“I want to be an artist someday, when I grow up,” Dean said with a hopeful smile that held some sadness.

“I’m sure you will be,” Castiel said, convinced. Dean gave him an incredulous look and huffed. “I have never seen anyone as talented as you, and your drawings are amazing. You will be an amazing painter, Dean.”

Dean smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. Once again, he blushed. “Thanks, Cas.”

The shortened version of his name caught his attention. His parents always called him Castiel, because they thought shortening it was something for peasants, a thought that irritated Castiel. Gabriel, on the other hand called him Cassie, and even thought it was meant to be a sweet nickname, Castiel wasn’t really fond on it, which Gabriel found hilarious and that’s why he tended to call him Cassie whenever their parents weren’t in front of them. However, Cas sounded really nice and Castiel found himself liking it.

“Do you like painting, too?” Dean asked, interrupting Castiel’s train of thoughts.

“Yes, I do. But I’m mediocre,” Castiel answered with a timid smile. “And I’m terrible compared to you.”

Dean chuckled and turned his face to look at Cas. His green eyes were even more beautiful in a close distance. Castiel now could see the different shades of green of the other boy’s eyes, and it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. “And what do you want to be when you grow up?” Dean prompted, giving Cas a curious, but soft look.

This was the first time that somebody asked him that question. Castiel had an idea, but he never talked about it because his family would found it silly and disappointing. “I want to be a writer.”

“That’s amazing!” Dean exclaimed excitedly. It was nice to hear his enthusiasm. “What genre would you like to write? I love adventure stories and mysteries.”

“I don’t know,” Castiel answered with a thoughtful grimace. “I like fantasy stories.”

“Yeah, those are great, too.”

Castiel smiled, but his smile disappeared, knowing that his dream would never come true. “But I don’t think I will become a writer.”

Dean frowned. “Why not?”

“My family doesn’t want that for me. They have other plans for me.” He looked down, hiding himself from Dean’s eyes, hoping to hold the tears forming behind his eyes.

“I understand,” Dean said, sadly. “Parents shouldn’t force their kids to do something they don’t like.”

Castiel looked back at Dean, intrigued. “Your parents don’t let you do what you truly want ether?”

“Sort of,” Dean answered, sighing. “My father forces me to work with him. And he expects me to keep with the family business. But I don’t want to spend the rest of my life doing something I don’t like. I want to become an artist, but he says there’s no future on that.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Dean.” He could sympathize with Dean’s situation so well.

Dean shrugged, casually. “At least my little brother won’t have to go through that. He’s really smart, and he intends on going to college. He wants to become a lawyer, and my father says that’s a real work.”

“And being an artist isn’t a real work?” Castiel felt angry about that. Dean shook his head. “That’s stupid! He should know better. You have an extraordinary talent and you will have thousands of people wanting to pay for your paints.”

Dean looked down. “He doesn’t see it that way. He says they’re just drabbles.” The more Castiel heard about that nonsense, the angrier he got. That man considered Dean’s drawings just drabbles? Unbelievable. He had to be blind to consider Dean’s drawings simple drabbles. “But it’s nice to hear that someone doesn’t find them stupid,” Dean added, looking at Cas with the sweetest look and the prettiest smile.

“I seriously hope you get to be an artist. Somebody with your talent deserves it.”

Dean sighed and looked at his drawing. “And what do your parents want you to be?”

“A Duke.”

“That’s not a job,” Dean said frowning.

“No, it isn’t. But I’m going to inherit the title. Actually I think I’m one, but not officially, the whole thing is confusing.”

Dean squinted his eyes and gave him a confused look. “You’re a Duke?”

Castiel nodded. “Well, at least my father is. You didn’t know?” Most of the people knew the Novak name. After all it was the King’s last name, and Castiel’s father was the most famous Duke in the country, so it was rare to find someone who didn’t recognize the name.

Dean made a thoughtful face and then realization came to him, his grimace fading away as his lips turned into a silent ‘oh’. “Wait, you said your last name was Novak, right?” Dean asked. Castiel nodded. “So you’re related to the King?”

Castiel nodded again. “I’m his nephew.” He was expecting Dean to look at him differently. Now he knew about Castiel’s family and he was going to consider Castiel as his superior.

But once again, Dean surprised him by looking at him in the same way as before, and by asking, “If the King is your uncle, can’t you tell him about how you truly want to be a writer and tell your parents? I’m sure he has more power than them and they’ll listen to him.”

Castiel chuckled. Even though it wasn’t possible to do that, Castiel liked Dean’s honest suggestion. “It’s not that easy, Dean.”

“Why not?”

“Because of who I am. I am expected to be something and I have to do it. Whether I like it or not.” He pressed the back of his head against the trunk and looked up, staring at the leaves moving thanks to the soft breeze.

“It shouldn’t be like that,” Dean said, half angry, half sad. Castiel simply took a deep breath. “Maybe when you can be on your own, you can write,” Dean added after a while, bringing Castiel’s attention back to him. “You’ll be the owner of your life and when you have breaks from being a Duke, you can write.”

Castiel grinned. It was a nice idea. “I like your idea.” His words made Dean smile. “Maybe you can do the same, but instead of writing, you can paint.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

The two of them kept talking and getting to know each other. Castiel found out that Dean was eight months older than him, which meant that Dean was thirteen years old already. He also learnt that Dean’s little brother’s name was Sam and that he was four years younger than him. His mother died when Dean was four years old, and since then, his father wasn’t the same and Dean had to work every morning in their repair workshop. He also learnt that Dean loved reading too, but he didn’t have too much time to read or money to buy books. He also learnt that he had an uncle named Bobby and that he always took care of the Winchester kids when John couldn’t, and he taught him a lot of things. Bobby also supported Dean’s idea of becoming an artist, but given that he wasn’t his son, he couldn’t convince John.

Castiel told Dean about his age, too, about his big brother Gabriel, about the things he liked and the things he had learnt and about his parents, being Dean the first one who knew how much Castiel hated his parents’ ideas and their parenting. And he also told Dean about how this was the first time he left the house to get into the woods and how he did it.

The more he and Dean talked, the more they liked each other. Both of them were two lonely kids that liked to be in the woods because it was a place where they could be free. Although Dean had been coming to the same spot for almost five years and Castiel was only spending his first day, he came to the woods for the same reason Dean came. Both of them needed a place to be themselves.

The hours passed and they kept talking, barely spending a couple of seconds in silence. Castiel found himself laughing a couple of times, and it was a wonderful feeling. He barely laughed; his parents didn’t approve it because it didn’t look good, and the only times Castiel ever laughed were with Gabriel, but those laughs weren’t as bright as the ones Dean managed to get from him after saying something funny.

Unfortunately, their time together finished and Dean got up. “I have to go back home,” Dean said as he looked up at the sun. “I have to make dinner.” It still surprised Castiel that Dean had to take care of many different duties at his home at such a young age.

Castiel stood up, too. “I have to go home, too,” he said sadly. He didn’t want to leave. He had so much fun with Dean. “Our governess might come to my room soon and if she doesn’t find me, she will tell my parents.” He made a grimace and Dean made a sympathetic smile, clearly knowing what Castiel feared.

“Will you come back again?” Dean asked timidly as Castiel shook some grass remains. He had to make sure of not leaving a single trace that could reveal where he truly spent his afternoon. “Because I’d like to see you again.” There was hope filling his voice.  
Castiel looked at him. Dean wanted to see him again. And Castiel wanted to see Dean again. He liked Dean; he was a really nice boy and he was amazing. “I would like to see you again, too.”

Dean grinned. “So, will you be able to come back?”

“I will try to,” Castiel answered with a grin of his own. Dean’s grin got wider, clearly excited by his answer. “But I don’t know exactly when. I could come back tomorrow, or in a couple of days, depending if any of my parents come back one of these days.” His parents came to the town a couple of times, but they only stayed for a couple of days and then they went back to the capital, but while his parents were in the town, Castiel knew he wasn’t going to be able to sneak out of the house to see Dean. “But I will come back, I promise.”

“Awesome!” Dean exclaimed. “I always come here, at the same time. So if you’re able to leave again, you know where to find me.”

Castiel nodded. His heart was beating fasted than ever, clearly excited with the joy of having a friendship for the first time in his life.

“Do you know how to come back or do you want me to guide you?” Dean asked, concerned.

“I know how to come back. Thank you, Dean,” Castiel said. Dean nodded. “I will see you soon, okay?” he added as he began to walk away from Dean.

Dean grinned. “Okay. See you, Cas.”

“See you, Dean.”

Both of them walked in opposite directions. Castiel walked back the path he followed, grinning like he never did, joy and happiness filling his body, spreading from his heart. Getting out of that room was the best decision he ever took; he should have done it sooner.

He walked faster, not too much; he didn’t want to stain his clothes with his sweat, because it could be another lead that would reveal his secret escape and he didn’t want to risk it. He knew that it was going to be a challenge to get away from the house again, that it was a high risk, but he was willing to take it every time he could. He wanted to spend his afternoons in the forest with Dean, talking and having fun, getting to know the green eyed boy better. The more he thought about it, the faster his heart beat. He was exhilarated, his blood rushing in his veins. The taste of happiness and freedom brought him so much joy. He couldn’t understand why he was forbidden to have something as amazing as what he had during those few hours with Dean.

Soon, Castiel found himself in front of the fence and climbed it skillfully. He knew that at this time, all the servants were inside the house, which meant he didn’t have to worry about being seen, but he still looked around, just in case. It was easy to get inside and to climb the iron structure too. He was back in his room quickly, and the best was that nobody seemed to notice his absence. Castiel sat down where he was before he left and pretended to read, grinning happily; he was still happy.

After thirty minutes, there was a knock, and Castiel made sure of removing the grin from his face before saying, “Come in.”

Their governess opened the door and smiled at him softly. She was always thankful about Castiel’s obedience and quietness. If only she knew where Castiel had been that day… “Mister Novak, it’s time to prepare yourself for dinner,” she said quietly.

“Yes, Ms. Taylor.” He closed his book and began to get ready for dinner, their governess leaving his room and closing the door.

Castiel couldn’t help grinning; she didn’t suspect anything! He was definitely going to repeat his excursion to the woods. Being the good and obedient kid for almost twelve years gave him something good. Everybody trusted him to behave like he was supposed to do, everybody knew he was a good kid who always did what he was told, and after so many years of being like that, nobody could expect him to do what he did that day, so he had a freedom he was absolutely going to enjoy.

He prepared himself for dinner and went down to have dinner with his big brother and their governess, keeping a straight face during the whole time, not letting his grin appear on his lips for once. Neither his brother nor the governess knew about what he did and it calmed Castiel. Part of him was still panicking about anyone knowing about his secret, but there wasn’t any sign or word about it, calming Castiel’s fears.

After dinner, he and Gabriel spent some time playing with some toys. Castiel wanted to tell his brother about what he did, but Gabriel wasn’t the best at keeping secrets. He loved his big brother, but sometimes he couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Castiel felt bad about keeping something that made him so happy away from his brother, but it was better to keep the secret to himself; it was safer.

If he wanted to keep enjoying being in the woods with Dean, only Dean and Castiel could know it. The fewer, the better.

The following day, Castiel did the same. He left at the same hour and climbed down the climbing plant, being this time a bit more skillful. The same happened when it came to climbing the fence. He was out quickly and he walked away from the house at a quick pace, grinning at the anticipation of seeing Dean again and at the extraordinary feeling of freedom.

He made the same path as yesterday, not getting lost once; he had a really good memory and it came in handy in many different occasions, but this had to be the best one. He found Dean in the same place, sitting under that tree, drawing. He didn’t notice Castiel at first, and Castiel took that moment to smile, grateful of finding Dean again, of knowing that he told him the truth, that he always came there.

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel said.

Dean startled at first, making Castiel’s smile widen, but when Dean saw him, he immediately grinned and looked surprised. “Hey, Cas!” Dean exclaimed excited. “I thought you weren’t gonna come in a few days.”

Castiel walked until he was next to him. “I told you I would come as soon as I could.” He looked at Dean with an obvious look and sat down next to him. “I could come today, so I did it.”

“Awesome,” Dean said happily and excited, and it warmed Castiel’s heart. He wasn’t used to having anyone being glad of seeing him, except his brother. “I’m glad you could make it. Nobody noticed you left?”

Castiel smirked. “No. They know I always stay in my room out of any trouble, so they don’t worry about me.”

“You rebel.” Dean chuckled. “Hey, do you wanna lie on the grass and stare at the clouds and picture shapes on them?”

Castiel frowned, confused. “Is that a thing?”

“Yeah. C’mon, Cas.” He stood up and looked at Castiel with expectant eyes, leaving his notebook on the grass. “It’s fun, I swear.”

There was a vitality in Dean’s eyes that Castiel never saw before. His eyes were full of life and they were so expressive. He liked them. He was used to cold and expressionless stares, but Dean’s eyes were warm and inviting. “Okay,” Castiel finally said, standing up, not missing the happy and beautiful smile of Dean.

Dean found a place where they could stare at the sky and they lied down. Dean started first and commented on a cloud that looked like a hummingbird. Castiel squinted his eyes, trying to find the resemblance for a couple of seconds until he saw it. They needed imagination for said task, and Castiel loved using his imagination, even though every adult in his life considered it silly.

They spent a big part of their afternoon staring at the clouds and finding their resemblances. They laughed a lot. Both kids had too much imagination, and sometimes they saw shapes that clearly didn’t hold any resemblance at all, but they found it, and it was hilarious. Castiel was skeptical about this game, but it turned out to be a good one. Letting their imagination go wild was a great thing.

“How often do you do this?” Castiel asked after spending a few minutes looking at a clear sky. It seemed as if the wind had taken all the clouds.

“Once in a while,” Dean said casually. “Mostly when I’m frustrated when I draw something and it doesn’t come out the way I want to.”

Castiel hummed. “I have never done it before.”

“Yeah, I kind of suspected it when you asked me if it was a thing,” he mocked with a mischievous grin.

Castiel kicked his leg softly. “Shut up, assbutt.”

Dean turned his head and looked at Castiel’s face. “Assbutt?”

“It’s an insult I made up.”

“It’s a weird one. You’re weird.” He gave him a funny look at Castiel looked away, ashamed. “I like that you’re weird,” Dean added with an honest voice.

When Castiel turned his face to look at him, he found that Dean was making an honest and happy face. “You do?” he asked, unsure. He was taught that being weird was bad, but Dean seemed to find being weird good.

“Yeah. Being weird is nice. Who wants to be normal? That’s boring.” He laughed and gave Cas a fond look.

Castiel found himself blushing and smiling. “Thank you, Dean. You are kind of weird, too.”

Dean laughed again, a beautiful sound that echoed in the loneliness of the woods. “Thanks, Cas.” They looked at each other, happily, and Castiel felt his heart skip a beat. “Wanna do something else? All the clouds seem to be gone.” He looked at the sky and frowned.

“We can remain here and talk,” he suggested, still looking at Dean.

He just wanted to be with Dean. He didn’t care about what they did as long as he was with him. He only knew Dean from yesterday, but there was something about him that pulled Castiel. Maybe it was the fact that Dean treated him as an equal, or that he didn’t judge him, or that he wasn’t expecting Castiel to behave in some specific way or because Dean let Castiel be who he truly was, but when he was with Dean, Castiel felt like some secret wings grew out from his back and he was finally able to fly after being told not to after so many years.

“What do you wanna talk about?” Dean asked curiously, giving Castiel a sweet smile.

Castiel shrugged. “I don’t know. I want to know more about you and the things you like.”

Dean blushed and chuckled, looking away from Castiel’s eyes. “I’m not that interesting, Cas.”

“I highly disagree. If you weren’t interesting at all I wouldn’t have gotten away from my room again in such a short period of time.”

Dean looked back at him again, his eyes full of tenderness and appreciation, but there was some sadness in them. “I’m just a kid.”

“And so I am. And I am a million times less interesting than you a—”

“That’s not true, Cas.”

“It might be or not. But still, here we are.”

Dean smiled. “Here we are,” he repeated. His eyes were suddenly full of something warm. “Alright, what else do you wanna know about me?”

They ended up talking about their favorite books. Castiel made a mental list of Dean’s favorite stories and the ones he wanted to read. He had all those books in their library, so he could grab them and bring them here so Dean could read them. They asked about each other’s favorite color, food, season, number, animal… Everything that came up to their minds, wanting to know about each other a little bit better, liking each other even more as more things about themselves were revealed.

Hours passed, until the sun reached the position that indicated it was time to leave; Dean had to go back home to make dinner and Castiel had to go back to his room and pretend that he stayed the whole afternoon in there. Time to leave came sooner than the previous day, or it felt like that for both kids. Having fun together made time move faster.

“I’ll see you soon, right?” Dean asked with a smile, his voice full of hope.

“Of course, Dean,” Castiel answered happily. Dean wanted to keep seeing him and it brought him so much joy. “Same place same hour, right?”

Dean nodded. “Right.”

Castiel’s grin became wider. “See you soon, Dean.”

“See you soon, Cas.”

They turned around, both of them heading in opposite directions.

Castiel kept coming to the woods almost every day, except those days when it rained and neither Dean nor him could go out. He couldn’t come on Saturdays nor Sundays either, because he had to spent his afternoons outside his bedroom, attending their governess lessons and then he played with Gabriel, but from Monday to Friday, he always left his bedroom and ran into the woods to meet Dean, who always greeted him with a wide grin and with his beautiful green eyes full of happiness at seeing Cas.

They spent their afternoons together playing and talking. Sometimes Castiel managed to sneak a book and they read it together, talking about their favorite characters and commenting the plot. Sometimes Castiel told Dean to keep the book so he could finish it reading at home; this happened whenever Castiel brought a book that Dean had never read before. Dean didn’t want to, because he was afraid of losing or damaging the book, but Castiel told him that it was okay, and that he could trust him. Dean always blushed at those words.

Other times, Dean would draw and Castiel would watch him, mesmerized by his talent. Dean commented on what he drew, telling Cas a few tips so he could get better at drawing, tips that came out in handy. Sometimes even Dean grabbed his hand and guided him to draw something.

They also spent their afternoons wandering through the woods. Castiel explained Dean about the different forests and curiosities about plants while Dean explained Cas about birds and how to distinguish their singing, both of them learning interesting facts.

They always had something to do and something to talk about, and their friendship became so strong in within a month. They got to know each other so well and they had so much fun together, but they also knew that they both had built something strong that no one of them had before, knowing that they could count on each other for whatever they needed. And in the secret depths of the woods they were safe and free.

Nobody knew about Castiel’s secret escapes. His governess never visited his bedroom while he was away. She trusted him to behave like a good boy and that gave Castiel a huge leverage. He was an expert on climbing up and down now after doing it almost every day, and he was really silent and discrete. The hardest part was to keep a straight face, to keep his smile to himself. He wanted to talk about how amazing Dean was, about all the things they did together, about all the interesting things they learnt, but he couldn’t. If somebody knew, they would forbid him to see Dean again, and Castiel didn’t want that. He loved seeing Dean. He always woke up excited about getting to see Dean, and the time to run away never seemed to come. Time moved so slowly until it reached the time for freedom, and sometimes his impatience showed, but he tried to hide it as best as he could; his governess couldn’t notice anything or she would suspect.

His parents came to the town a couple of times, but they always announced their visit a few days earlier with a letter, which gave Castiel time to tell Dean about it and to know when he couldn’t leave his bedroom. Those days were the worst. He never liked having their parents there, because they were so strict with him and Gabriel and the ambient was always so uncomfortable and suffocating, but it became even worse because Castiel was willing to go and see his best friend and he couldn’t until his parents left.

But the day their parents left always came, and Castiel always went that afternoon to see Dean, whose face lighted up when he saw him. They even hugged tightly; they didn’t like spending so long without seeing each other. Castiel didn’t like his life because he was forced to be someone he wasn’t, but Dean’s life was worse. He had to work and take care of his family because his abusive father didn’t want to. Meeting every afternoon from Monday to Friday was their tiny escape from real life, the time where they could be themselves and they could be happy. And the best of all was that they really liked each other for who they were, not for who they were forced to be.

Summer kept passing, its days becoming shorter, but both of them kept seeing each other, never getting tired of each other’s presence, laughing together, talking about everything and nothing at all, learning from each other, playing around, having so much fun. Castiel didn’t remember a summer as good as that one, maybe because he never got to experience a summer like that, a summer where he could be a kid, not a boy who was destined to be a Duke. Castiel lost the sense of time. He only knew when he could see Dean and when he couldn’t, not realizing when September arrived.

“Father’s sent a letter,” Gabriel said one night. They were on the garden, sitting on one of the benches, looking at the stars. Dean loved stars. It was a shame that they couldn’t stare at the night sky together. Castiel wanted to tell him about every constellation and show Dean that he had all those constellations on his freckled face. “He’s coming on the 8th and we are leaving on September the 10th,” Gabriel added.

“That soon?” Castiel asked, shocked and hurt. He realized it was September the 6th, how did summer pass so fast? They were going to leave the town, like they always did, and they wouldn’t come until the end of April. That was a long time without seeing Dean and it devastated him.

Gabriel frowned. “We always leave on the second week of September.”

“I know, but I—” He worried his bottom lip in between his teeth. _I don’t want to leave Dean_ , he wanted to say, but instead, he said, “I don’t want to leave yet.”

“I know,” Gabriel said sighing. “Here we are mostly alone; we don’t have Father and Mother constantly telling us what to do. Going back to the city is always a pain in the ass.”

“Watch out your vocabulary, Gabe,” Castiel reprimanded.

His big brother rolled his eyes. “I’m the big brother, Cassie, I’m allowed to say those things. And let me have my last freedom of speech before we go back to the city.”

Castiel took a deep breath and looked down, feeling how his heart was hurting. It never felt like that before. He always liked being staying in town because, as Gabriel said, it gave them a little bit of freedom, but now that Castiel had a best friend and he got to experience what freedom really was, he didn’t want to leave. But he knew he couldn’t stay. He had to leave. His parents said so and he had to obey.

The next day, he went to the woods and met with Dean. That afternoon, they were sitting under the tree where Dean always sat, and they were talking about the different possible colors that they could see in the forest.

“And in autumn,” Dean said, with a bright voice. “You have amazing shades of orange and red. You can see the whole gradient from green to brown, how green turns into yellow, then into orange, then into red and then into brown. It’s so awesome.”

“Dean,” Castiel said with a sad voice.

“I’m rambling again, aren’t I?” Dean asked with a guilty grimace.

Castiel chuckled. “Yes, but you know I like it when you ramble.” He gave him a soft smile and Dean blushed. Castiel looked at him, memorizing every feature of his friend’s face. “I’m leaving on Friday.”

The happiness in Dean’s face disappeared immediately, being replaced by worry and even a bit of hurt, making Castiel’s heart hurt even more. “You’re leaving? To where?”

“To the capital,” Castiel answered, looking down and his feet. He embraced his legs, pulling them closer to his chest. He hated having to leave and telling Dean so. “My parents are coming tomorrow and we are going back to the capital.”

“But you’ll come back, right?” There was hurt in his voice and Castiel hated it. He was aware that Dean hated Castiel’s incoming departure as much as he did.

Castiel forced himself to look at his friend, his heart clenching when he saw the pain in Dean’s face. “I will come back in the last week of April.”

“That’s so long.”

“It is.” He wanted to cry, but he held back his tears. “I’m sorry. I wish I could stay here forever, but I can’t do anything.” He buried his face in between his knees and closed his eyes, fighting against the sobs that were forming in his throat and wanted to come out.

He heard Dean taking a deep breath. “Shit,” Dean mumbled. “But you’ll come back in April, right, Cas?”

“Yes,” Castiel mumbled to his knees.

Suddenly, he felt Dean’s hands on him, pulling his face away from his knees until their eyes met. “You promise me that you will come back here in the last week of April?”

“Yes. We always come back during that week.” They always did. They spent the last of spring and the whole summer in town because the weather was softer than in the capital. But they spend autumn and winter in the capital because it wasn’t as cold as in the town.

Dean sighed and made a soft smile. “Then, I’ll wait for you, Cas. Once you come back and your parents are out of town, come here and you’ll find me.”

Castiel smiled. He hated having to leave, but knowing that Dean would still be in those woods, waiting for his return relieved him. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

Castiel threw himself and hugged Dean. “I wish I could stay the whole year here. I don’t want to leave you.”

Dean tightened him in his arms. It felt good. They had hugged a couple of times, but that hug felt warmer and closer than the previous ones. “I don’t want you to leave, either. You’re my best friend, Cas.”

Castiel couldn’t help making a shaky breath. “And you are my best friend, Dean.”

They pulled away and they looked at each other with a sad smile. “Do you wanna do something special for our last afternoon together in the year?”

“I just want to be with you, Dean.” That’s all Castiel had ever wanted. He rested his head on Dean’s shoulder and sighed when Dean brought his arm around Cas’ shoulders. It felt good to be like that; Castiel felt safe.

“Then, let’s stay here. Wanna watch me draw one more time?”

Castiel smiled. “Of course.”

Dean drew while Castiel kept his head on his shoulder. Dean never moved his left arm from Castiel. Castiel watched how his best friend drew another masterpiece and smiled softly. For a moment, he forgot that he had to leave and focused on Dean and his talent. He wished for time to stop, so they could remain in that forest for the rest of their time, without any of them having to leave, but he knew it was impossible.

Time to say goodbye came and neither of them liked it. They could see the pain and the sadness painted in each other’s faces. They always had to leave by this hour, but they walked back home with a smile, but at that moment, it was impossible to smile. They knew they would see each other, but seven months was a long time to wait.

Dean was the first one to walk the tiny distance in between them to pull Cas into a hug that Cas returned immediately. “Take care, okay?” Dean said with a broken voice.

Castiel nodded. “You, too. And keep drawing.”

“Always.” Dean hugged him a little bit tighter, not wanting to let him go. “I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“I’m going to miss you, too, Dean.” His tears decided to fall from his eyes, but he wasn’t the only one crying. Dean also had tears on his eyes.

“Shit,” Dean said chuckling when he pulled away. He rubbed his eyes, wiping off his tears. “We’re gonna see each other in seven months, we shouldn’t be crying.”

Castiel chuckled and wiped his own tears. “Yes, it’s true.” He took a deep breath and looked at Dean, memorizing for one last time that beautiful face. “See you in April, Dean.”

“See you in April, Cas.”

Cas nodded. He was about to turn around, but Dean pulled him into another hug. Castiel sighed and closed his eyes, wanting to treasure the feeling of his best friend’s hug. He would remember it whenever he felt alone.

Dean pulled away and made a sad smile before he turned around and walked away. Castiel stared at him for a few seconds. His body wasn’t responding to him. He wanted to remain in that forest, but he couldn’t. He had to go back home.

“Seven months,” Castiel said to himself. “Only seven months.”

He took a deep breath and turned around, hoping that nobody at the house would notice his sadness and his pain.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, the kudos, the comments, the bookmarks and the subscriptions :')

The last week of April finally arrived and Castiel was excited. Those seven months were the longest of his life. But there he was again, in a horse carriage with his parents and his brother, going back to the town, going back to see Dean. He would have to wait a couple of days until his parents left him and Gabriel alone, and then he would be able to see Dean again.

Castiel spent autumn and winter counting the days until he could see his best friend again. The waiting turned out to be almost unbearable, but it finally arrived, and Castiel was really happy, but he had to hide his smile from everyone, because they would suspect that something was going on with him, and he didn’t want anyone to discover his secret. After such a long waiting, he wouldn’t risk Dean in any possible way.

He wondered how much his friend had grown. Castiel was a bit taller than the previous year, and he didn’t feel like a kid anymore, he was in his teenage years, which in his family meant that he was soon becoming a little man. Gabriel was almost sixteen and they already considered him a young adult, but he was still a trickster, which didn’t made their parents happy at all.

As the carriage approached the house, Castiel’s heart started beating faster with anticipation. He knew he had to wait to sneak out, but at least he was back. All he had to do was to wait for a little bit longer and he would see Dean.

But the waiting became even longer than those seven months, despite of being only two days, but it felt like decades. Besides, Castiel had to wait another day to make sure that he could run away at the same time as the previous year. He had to make sure that all the schedules from everyone working at the house remained the same. Luckily, everything remained the same, and after spending three days waiting from his freedom, two because of his parents’ presence and one to establish that everything was in order, Castiel left his room like he did the previous year, and he ran as fast as he could, following the same path he followed every afternoon he spent with Dean.

His heart was hammering against his chest, almost as if it wanted to break through it and escape just like he did. He was grinning, loving how the soft breeze caressed his skin. He had missed that feeling and the softness of the woods. He was free and happy one more time. It had been so long.

He made sure of stopping running once he was close to where Dean usually was. He wanted to surprise him, so he walked as slowly and quietly as he could. It didn’t take him too long to find the place where the two of them always met, and he found Dean, in the same spot he always was, right where he met him from the first time almost one year ago, focused on drawing. Castiel’s heart skipped a beat. Dean was there, like he promised.

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel said, his voice coming out with a lot of emotion and joy.

Dean lifted his eyes from his drawing and looked in front of him, seeing that Cas was just a couple of feet away from him. His face turned from surprise to happiness in a short frame of a second. “Cas,” Dean said, almost as touched as Castiel. He stood up, leaving his drawing stuff apart and they walked towards each other, meeting in a hug. “It’s so damn good to see you again!”

Castiel hugged him tightly and laughed softly, feeling how a bright happiness spread from his heart to the rest of his body. He had missed Dean’s hugs. “I’m glad to see you, too.” He had missed his friend so much. He couldn’t believe that they were together again. They grinned at each other when they pulled away and they looked at each other, noticing the few changes of their bodies. They didn’t look like kids anymore; they were almost complete teenagers. “You have grown.”

“So have you,” Dean said, chuckling. “And you have cheekbones now,” he added, pointing.

Castiel touched his face and smiled shyly. “Yes. And you have more freckles.”

Dean rubbed his neck and blushed. “Yeah. And your voice is lower.”

“Yours, too.”

Both of them laughed. “Okay,” he said grabbing Cas’ wrist and pulling him towards where they always sat to talk, under the tree. His touch was warm and welcoming, making Castiel’s skin tingle. “You’ve gotta tell me everything you’ve done during those seven months.”

“Only if you tell me about yours,” Castiel said, laughing.

“Deal!”

They told each other everything about their seven months. They didn’t spend a single second in silence. They talked about the things they had learnt, the things they did, how Dean got even better at drawing, the stories that they had read and about their families. Cas was sad about knowing how Dean still had to struggle with taking care of his little brother, the house, having to put up with his father and his alcoholism and not being able to study because he had to work. He hated how Dean was forced to do all those things. His best friend was amazing and kind and he didn’t deserve any of that. But Dean said that he was used to it, something that Castiel hated even more. He wished Dean could have what he truly wanted.

“Don’t worry, Cas,” Dean said, casually, his shoulders shrugging to force the casualty of it. “I’m more than used to it.”

“It shouldn’t be like that,” Castiel protested, looking at his friend. Dean acted like he didn’t care, but Castiel knew him better; he could see in his best friend’s eyes that he wanted to have a better life.

Dean shrugged again. “Yeah, but whatever.” He leaned his head against the oak’s trunk and looked up, sighing. “It could be worse.” He made a sad grimace and looked down at his feet. Castiel wanted to say something comforting, but before he could say anything, Dean spoke again, “I’m glad you’re back.” He looked at Cas, with an honest and tender look, and Castiel couldn’t help smiling. “I’m glad that you’re here again and we can spend some time together. I— I need you, y’know?” Dean barely stuttered, he was always so confident of himself. But at that moment he looked shy and he was blushing, and Castiel found it both adorable and a bit confusing. “You’re one of the few things in my life that doesn’t suck.”

Castiel reached Dean’s hand and laced their fingers together, giving him a soft squeeze. Dean startled at the touch at first, but relaxed immediately. “I need you, too, Dean,” Castiel said softly. Dean looked at him in wonder, almost surprised about hearing Cas saying that. “You are my best friend and you are one of the greatest things in my life.”

Dean grinned. “You’re a sap, Cas.”

“You said those things first. You are in no position to judge.”

Both of them chuckled. They were still holding hands. Castiel liked Dean’s touch, it was warm and comforting, and he suspected that Dean felt the same. Castiel found it easy to share small touches with Dean, like hugs or hand holding. It was surprising, given that he always kept everybody’s personal space, but he was always drawn closer to Dean. And Dean didn’t seem to mind, in fact, he almost seemed to encourage it.

“Damn, it’s a bit late,” Dean muttered, looking at the sun. “We should head back to our respective homes.” He stood up and grabbed his stuff while Castiel stood up as well, shaking off the grass from his black pants. “Will you come tomorrow?”

“Of course, Dean,” Castiel answered with a beautiful smile.

Dean grinned. “Awesome. See you tomorrow, Cas.”

“See you tomorrow, Dean.”

They walked in opposite directions, but Castiel looked back to watch how Dean walked away. He smiled to himself as his heart kept hammering against his chest. He was even happier than usually from seeing Dean. It was as if his happiness intensified. He didn’t know why, but it made him really happy.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean greeted when he heard Cas’ footsteps. He looked up to look at Cas and dedicated him one of his more beautiful grins.

Castiel mirrored him. It was so easy to smile when Dean did it. “Hello, Dean.” He walked the small distance that separated them, until he sat next to Dean, not leaving any inch in between them. They liked to be close. “I brought you a book.” He handed Dean _Macbeth_ , and paid attention to his friend’s happy face. “You told me that you read _Hamlet_ and that you enjoyed Shakespeare, so I decided to bring you one of my favorites.”

“Thanks, Cas.” He smiled at Cas and caressed the cover of the book. “Do you want to read it now?”

“Only if you want to.”

They read _Macbeth_ together. They liked reading books together. It was nice to be able to read and then discuss the book. He and Dean shared opinions, but it was interesting to hear the things that Dean noticed about characters that Castiel didn’t and the other way around, and it was interesting to discuss the things that they didn’t agree on.

“I have been writing on my own,” Castiel confessed after finishing discussing Shakespeare’s book.

Dean raised both of his eyebrows, impressed. “Really?”

“Yes, but not much. I keep it in a secret place. I haven’t had much time, but I have been trying to start, just to practice.” He hadn’t told anyone about it, not even to Gabriel. He wrote in secret, when he knew nobody was going to interrupt him.

“I’m sure it’s pretty awesome, Cas.”

Castiel chuckled. “I doubt it. I think it’s terrible.”

“Let me doubt that,” Dean said with an obvious look, and Castiel blushed. “You’re really good with words.”

Castiel frowned, confused. “Why do you think so?”

“’Cause of the way you talk.” Castiel’s frown only deepened. He didn’t know why his friend thought that. Dean noticed his confusion and huffed a laugh. “I forgot that frown of yours. And the tilt of head to the side that you do.”

“You are confusing sometimes, did you know that?” He didn’t understand why Dean found his confusion so amusing. Dean grinned. “Why are you grinning?”

“Because I’ve missed this.”

“Assbutt,” Castiel said blushing, and Dean laughed, that beautiful sound echoing in the woods. Castiel looked at Dean. He found himself smiling as he appreciated how beautiful Dean looked when he laughed. He wanted to tell him so, but for some reason, he kept the words to himself. “You are laughing at me!” he protested, punching Dean’s arm playfully.

“I’m sorry, but you’re funny, Cas.”

Castiel chuckled. “Don’t tell my parents that or they will ground me for the rest of my life.” If his parents knew how Castiel truly was, if they found that when he was with Dean he was his true self, they would kill him.

“I don’t know if you know it, but I really hate your parents,” Dean said with a bit of sass.

Castiel gave him a sarcastic look. “This is the first time I have heard of it.”

Dean slapped his chest, playfully. “Don’t sass me.”

“You did it first.”

Dean wanted to look mad at him, but his mouth was making a rogue smile, until it turned out into a big grin. “You’re the fucking worst, Cas,” he said, happily.

“Watch out your vocabulary, Dean.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Or what?” he asked cockily, grinning. “What are you gonna do?”

Castiel smirked and immediately started tickling Dean, who started to squeeze and giggle. Castiel moved his hands quickly, knowing where Dean was more ticklish. Dean kept squirming, trying to get away from Cas, but somehow Dean ended up lying on the grass, with Cas on top of him, pinning him. Dean tried to get away, but Castiel had a strong hold on him, still, Dean rolled the two of them, reversing their positions. Dean smirked and Castiel looked at him impressed before Dean started tickling him. His best friend knew where Castiel was more ticklish and he got his revenge.

At one point, both of them ended up rolling down on the grass, laughing as they tried to tickle each other. They ended up lying next to each other, laughing uncontrollably, trying to catch up their breaths. They looked at each other and laughed even harder. Castiel still wondered why his family thought something like this was bad. He still didn’t understand why everything he did with Dean was considered stupid and bad.

“I’ve gotta ask,” Dean said after his laughter faded away. Castiel turned his face to look at him. “Why are you against bad language? It’s part of the vocabulary. It’s even in the dictionary.”

Castiel shrugged. “I don’t know. I was taught not to use it.”

Dean rolled onto his side, positioning himself until their faces were only a couple of inches separated. He was so close that Castiel could count every freckle on his face and see himself reflected in those beautiful green eyes. “You were also taught not to leave your room and be with peasants,” Dean sassed, moving his eyebrows up and down, quickly.

Castiel grimaced funnily and pushed Dean away, making him lie on his back again, which Dean found hilarious given the loud laugh he made. “First of all, you aren’t a peasant, you are my friend,” Castiel started to say as he got himself on top of Dean, placing his knees on each side of Dean’s hips. “And there are things that I was taught that are nonsense and others that aren’t.”

“So, being taught that leaving your room to be with me is nonsense for you?” Dean asked with a bright smile.

“I think that our last summer answers that question, don’t you think?” Castiel asked with an arched brow. “And also the fact that we are here, in the present.”

“You’re such a rebel, Cas.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “And you are such an assbutt, Dean.”

Dean laughed again. Once again, Castiel found himself grinning at that. It brought his heart too much joy. More than he could express with words.

His best friend sat down. Cas was still kneeling on top of him, and their faces were quite close one more time. “Cas,” Dean began to say with a soft voice, almost as a whisper. “Don’t ever change.” His voice was still soft, but it hid something close to worry. “When you grow up, don’t become like any of that people that can’t see what’s good on others because of their status. Promise me you won’t grow into—”

“Into my father?” Castiel interrupted. Dean nodded. “I would rather die than become what my father is. I don’t want to be like him, or any of the people he knows.” His father and his friends thought they were better than most of the people just because they owned a title. No one of them was as good as Dean was. Titles didn’t show the goodness in a person; their acts did. “I will never be like that, Dean. I promise you.”

“Okay,” Dean said with a relieved smile. “’Cause I don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t lose me, Dean.”

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel said with a big grin.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean said with another big grin of his own. He stood up and walked towards Cas, who frowned. “I have to show you something,” Dean added with a big grin, knowing that Cas was confused. “It’s a surprise. Follow me.”

“A surprise?” Castiel asked as he walked next to Dean.

“Yeah. I’ve been wanting to show it to you for a while, but I was waiting for a hot day.”

Dean’s words only increased Castiel’s confusion. “Why?”

“You’ll understand in a minute.”

They kept walking through the woods. It didn’t take too long to hear the sound of water flowing. Castiel gave Dean an intrigued look, but Dean didn’t answer the silent question, he only grinned. The sound of water increased with every step they took, and soon, they found themselves in front of a small river. It was in the middle of the woods and its water was crystal clear; they could see the bottom of the river and see the many colorful rocks and some of the tiny fishes that swam in there.

“This is beautiful, Dean,” Castiel said, astonished by the beauty of that place. He looked at Dean, who had that tender look on his face, the one he did whenever he was happy about Cas. “How is that you never showed me this place before?”

Dean smiled and he left his drawing stuff away, a bit far from the river. “Because I was waiting for a hot day to show it to you,” he began to explain. Castiel still didn’t understand why Dean had to wait for a hot day. Suddenly, Dean started to take off his shirt, and Castiel felt how his cheeks flushed as he watched his best friend undress. “So we could take a bath in here. And given that you need to dry before going back to your home, we needed a hot day so you would have plenty of time to dry, so no one would suspect where you were.”

Castiel huffed a laugh. “Clever,” he said, grinning. “How long have you been planning this?”

Dean grinned as he took off his pants, and Castiel felt his blush spreading from his cheeks to his ears. How could he be blushing so hard at that moment? He didn’t fully understand. “For a while.” Dean folded his clothes and left them next to his drawing stuff. He was only wearing his underwear and Castiel could see how shaped his best friend was and all the freckles on his skin. “C’mon, Cas! What are you waiting for?”

Castiel nodded. He had to take off his clothes, too. But he was so immersed on looking at Dean that he forgot about it. He had always found Dean beautiful, but now that he could see his body, he found him even more beautiful. He moved his eyes away, wanting not to be noticed by Dean, and he began to undress. It didn’t take him too long and he folded his clothes carefully. When he looked at Dean, he noticed that Dean was blushing too. Did Dean feel the same about him?

“I’ve gotta tell you that the water is a bit cold,” Dean said casually, walking towards the river.

Castiel frowned. Dean seemed shy, but he couldn’t tell for sure. He followed his friend, who was already getting into the water. The river wasn’t too deep. Dean was in the deepest part of it and the water only covered him part of his chest.

Castiel had never bathed on a river before and he was both nervous and excited. When his toes felt the coldness of the water, he shivered and Dean laughed brightly, at which Cas glared him. Slowly, Castiel got into the river, his body slowly adapting to the temperature. Dean watched him with a big grin until they were in front of each other.

“Nice, huh?” Dean asked.

“Yes, it is,” Castiel confessed smiling. Dean smirked, and suddenly, he splashed water in front of Castiel, drenching him completely. “Dean!” Castiel yelled frustrated, but Dean was laughing hilariously, and Castiel was no longer frustrated or mad at him, and he splashed Dean too, who looked at him with his mouth parted, not fully believing that Cas had just splashed him.

“No, you didn’t,” Dean said with a smirk.

“Yes, I did.”

Immediately, both of them began a fun splashing war full of laughter. They wanted to cover in water the other as much as possible, even though both were completely drenched, but they didn’t care. It was fun to play that game. They played for some long minutes, until both felt their muscles starting to get tired. They were grinning, completely soaked, and they could take their eyes away from each other. Castiel wanted to get closer, even though they were already in each other’s personal spaces, but it felt like it wasn’t enough. He wanted to get closer to Dean, to remove those inches in between them. It never happened to him before, wanting to be closer to someone, wanting to reach out. He always liked being close to Dean, but since he came back, Castiel found himself craving for that closeness and he couldn’t understand why exactly.

“Cas,” Dean said with a voice that was lower than usual.

Castiel hummed. “Yes?”

“We should get out, or you won’t be able to dry before you leave.”

Castiel looked up at the sun and calculated the time left until his usual departure time. “We still have some minutes.”

Dean frowned. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. As long as you don’t splash me again.”

Dean grinned. “Don’t tempt me.”

Castiel smiled. “But I didn’t say anything about splashing you one more time,” he said before splashing Dean, who looked at him with a frustrated grimace.

“Hey, that’s not fair! I can’t splash you now!”

“You can, but you shouldn’t,” he sassed.

“Be thankful that I don’t do it because I know that if someone sees you’re wet, you won’t be able to see me again.” He scowled and kneeled, submerging into the water for a couple of seconds. When he emerged, he ran his fingers through his wet hair, messing it and spiking it, which made Castiel laugh. “What’s so funny?”

“Your hair,” Castiel answered with a lovely smile. “It’s all spiky.”

Dean rolled his eyes “C’mon, we should get out.”

Castiel wanted to stay in the water for a little longer, but he knew that the sooner he dried the better. He was drenched, and they were going to need a couple of hours for that. He followed Dean and got out of the river. They sat on the riverside, in a spot where there barely were shadows; they needed as much sunlight as they could get. They sat like always, almost pressed together. Under the sunlight, Dean looked so beautiful; his freckles stood out better and his skin looked magical with the water drops left from their bath. He even had drops on his eyelashes, which made him look awesome.

“Thank you for bringing me here, Dean,” Castiel said with a low voice.

“You liked it?” Dean asked with a bright smile.

“Very much.”

“I’m glad.”

There was a hot summer breeze blowing in between the woods that helped them to dry. They sat down, in a comfortable silence, hearing the sound of the water streaming, the birds singing, the breeze blowing and the leaves softly moving with it. Castiel was really happy to be in that place with his favorite person. He looked at Dean once in a while, stealing secret glances at him, enthralled by the beauty of his friend. Sometimes Dean noticed Cas staring at him and gave him an arched brow. Castiel blushed and smiled timidly, which made Dean grin and blush slightly. They didn’t say anything about it, but the more time they spent sitting on that riverside, in a comfortable silence, enjoying their company, Castiel started to realize what truly was happening to him.

He was starting to fall in love with Dean Winchester.

Spring finished and summer arrived and Castiel kept falling deeper and deeper in love with Dean. He didn’t say a word about it. He was sure that Dean didn’t feel the same. At first, Castiel thought that it was going to be something that would eventually pass, but it didn’t. Part of him didn’t care that it didn’t pass. He liked being with Dean. Every moment that they spent together was great. And the more he was with Dean, the better he knew him and the more he liked him. Dean was the kind of person Castiel admired; sweet, kind, funny, intelligent and talented, with a big heart.

Castiel was sure that Dean didn’t feel the same. He knew that Dean appreciated him and cared about him, but he didn’t love him. But Castiel was okay with it. He had a great friend, and that was what mattered. Although sometimes Castiel saw the way Dean looked at him, or how Dean tended to initiate things when they ended up getting closer, but neither of them said a word about it. Castiel kept his secret to himself and enjoyed what he and Dean had. There wasn’t any awkward moments, things were like they always were, and that was more than great.

“Cas, I’ve gotta ask you something,” Dean said, sounding really shy. He bit his bottom lip, something that Castiel knew it meant that his friend was worried about something. “It’s okay if you say no.”

“Dean, what’s wrong?” Castiel asked really worried, moving until he was facing Dean.

Dean took a deep breath and his face flushed more than ever. “I want to draw you,” Dean spurted out. Castiel blinked perplexed. Did Dean want to draw him? Was it for real? “If you want me to. If you don’t want to, I understand.”

“You want to draw me?” His question came out with all the happiness that he felt. It meant a lot for him that Dean wanted to draw him. Dean was still blushed and looking worried, but he nodded. “Yes, Dean, you can draw me,” he said with a big smile.

Dean looked at him, surprised and hesitant. “Really?”

“Yes. I would really like it.”

“Awesome!” He settled on his spot and faced Cas. “Please, don’t be mad at me if it turns out to be a shit.”

“One, you are an amazing artist,” Castiel began to say with an obvious glare. “So I’m sure it will be extraordinary.” His words made Dean’s blush be more intense. “And two,” he added, and he kicked Dean’s leg. “Don’t swear.”

Dean rolled his eyes and he started drawing. “One of these days you’re gonna swear and I’m not gonna let you forget it.”

“That’s unlikely.”

Dean gave him a challenging look and smirked. He went back to drawing. Castiel knew he was fast when it came to drawing, but Dean had always said that when it came to portraits, it took him a little bit longer, because it wasn’t like drawing landscapes. Portraits had to be accurate, while drawing landscapes gave him more freedom. Nevertheless, Dean finished Castiel’s drawing sooner than Castiel expected.

“Alright, it’s done,” Dean said, sighing.

“That soon?” Castiel asked perplexed.

Dean hummed in agreement. “I’ve seen your face a lot of times, so I know all of your features.” He immediately blushed after those words. Castiel did, too. “Wanna see it?” he asked timidly.

“Of course.”

Dean showed him the drawing and Castiel parted his mouth in admiration. It was him, it was exactly him. Dean had made a perfect portrait of him. It looked real. Everything was on point. It was extraordinary.

“What do you think?” Dean asked in tremor.

“Dean, this is extraordinary. It’s me, it’s exactly me,” Castiel said full of joy. “I love it.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Dean, this is so fucking beautiful.” The moment he let out the word ‘fucking’, Castiel covered his mouth and opened his eyes in shock.

“Holy shit, you just said ‘fucking’!” Dean exclaimed before bursting into an uncontrollable laughter. “My drawing made you swear!” He fell onto the grass, laughing. Castiel pulled his hand away and bit his bottom lip, trying to suppress a smile, but he failed. Dean was laughing hysterically. “It must be really good if you said ‘fucking’!”

“Stop laughing at me, assbutt!”

But Dean kept laughing, and Castiel couldn’t resist it and started laughing too, although his laughter wasn’t as hysterical as his friend’s, but it was bright and happy as well.

Eventually, Dean’s laughter faded away and he managed to sit. His face was completely red and there were a few crinkles around the corner of his eyes, something that Castiel loved so much. “Well, I’m glad you liked it,” Dean said, still letting out a soft laughter. “Hearing you say it’s fucking beautiful, it’s the best compliment I’ve ever heard about any of my drawings.”

“I mean it, really,” Castiel said, looking once again at the drawing. “You are incredibly talented.”

“Don’t you mean, fucking talented?” he teased.

“You are never going to let it go, are you?”

Dean made one of his beautiful, big grins. “Nope.”

Castiel grinned and blushed. He looked at the drawing again. “It’s perfect, Dean. I love it.”

“Thanks, Cas.” He looked at him with devotion, and Castiel felt his cheeks getting hotter. “Would you be okay if I drew you more times or if I made sketches of your face?”

“Yes, I will be more than okay,” Castiel answered with an obvious face. “But, why do you want to draw me? I’m pretty sure you will get bored of drawing my dumb face all the time.”

“Your face isn’t dumb, Cas!” Dean exclaimed, quite angry, and it startled Castiel. “C’mon, Cas, you’re so fucking beautiful. Have you actually seen you?”

Castiel blushed more than in his whole life. Dean thought he was beautiful. His heart made one of those wild things it always made when Dean complimented him. He looked away, embarrassed, but he could see that Dean meant his words and that his friend was slightly blushed. “I don’t know,” Castiel managed to mumble. “I have never—”

“Cas,” Dean said with a soft voice. He placed his hand on Cas’ shoulder, encouraging him to look at him. “You are it. And not only because your eyes are so fucking blue. Everything about you is beautiful. I mean it.”

“Thank you, Dean.” He smiled shyly and Dean grinned. He felt his heart hammering. “If I could draw, I would draw you,” he confessed. Dean arched his eyebrows in disbelief. “Don’t give me that look. You are really beautiful.”

“Whatever, Cas,” he mumbled, blushing.

“Have you seen yourself?”

“Don’t quote me to me!”

Castiel laughed. “Really, Dean, you have the most beautiful eyes ever, and you have a galaxy on your skin. You are beautiful in every little feature.”

“Shut up, I’m blushing!” he exclaimed embarrassed, covering his face. Castiel laughed. Making Dean blush was so good and it made Castiel laugh. “Don’t laugh at me, you dick!” he exclaimed as he kicked Cas’ leg playfully.

“Don’t call me dick, you assbutt,” Castiel mocked, kicking Dean playfully as well.

Both of them laughed.

On one afternoon, Castiel came to the woods and found the place where Dean always was empty. Dean was never late. It made him worry. Maybe his friend had to work or had to take care of something, but it still made Castiel worry. Dean always had those hours free. He decided to sit down and wait for his friend. He thought about thousands of reasons of why Dean could be late, getting more worried as time passed, but Dean finally arrived, after almost half an hour. Castiel stood up and turned around when he heard his friend coming, and his heart dropped when he saw his friend with a bruise on his cheek.

“Dean!” Castiel exclaimed alarmed, running towards his friend. He cupped his face and took a look at the bruise. Dean tried to get away from Cas’ grip, but Cas held him tightly. “What happened?”

Dean sighed. “My father,” he said with a breathy voice. He pulled away from Cas’ grip sharply and he walked towards the oak, sitting under it and started crying.

Cas immediately sat next to him and held him tightly. This time Dean didn’t fight against it and instead leaned onto Castiel’s touch. “I’m here, Dean. Don’t worry, I’m here,” he whispered softly. He knew about John’s abuses, but he knew that they always happened during the nights, when he was really drunk. But this was the first time he saw Dean with a bruise. “I’ve got you, Dean.”

Dean kept crying and fisted the front of Castiel’s shirt. He didn’t say a word. He kept crying, venting himself while Castiel held him tightly and whispered comforting things to him. He hated how much his friend suffered. Dean’s life was far from easy and Castiel wanted to help him, but he didn’t know how.

After some long minutes, Dean’s sobs and crying started to fade away, and he stopped shaking, but he was still holding Cas, fisting his shirt. He took a deep, shaky breath and said, “I’m sorry for this.”

“Dean, you don’t have to apologize for anything. Your father should be the one apologizing for what he did,” Castiel said firmly. Castiel’s father didn’t abuse him, but he tended to hit him and Gabriel when they misbehaved. Dean also knew that.

“Thank you, Cas, for being with me,” Dean thanked with a broken sob.

“Anytime, Dean.” He held him tighter. “We can do anything you need to make you feel better.”

“I need you, just you, like this.”

“Okay,” Castiel murmured softly.

Dean buried his face in the crook of Cas’ neck and they spent a big amount of their time holding each other, without saying a word. It was hard to see how Dean was hurt; he was the last human on earth that deserved any kind of pain. Castiel wanted to protect him from all the evil in the world.

Eventually, Dean started to feel better, but not as good as every other afternoon, Castiel could see that Dean was still hurt. Dean pulled away from Castiel’s grip and rested his back against the trunk and wiped his tears. He took a deep breath and looked up.

“Are you okay?” Castiel asked, even though he knew the answer to that question.

“No. But I’ll be,” Dean answered absently. He took another deep, long breath and ran his hand through his hair. “I just wish things were different, y’know?”

“I know.”

“Do you think that things will get better for the two of us one day?” Dean asked, looking at Cas with glassy eyes.

“I like to think so.” His life wasn’t as terrible as Dean, but he wasn’t free. He always dreamt with being the owner of his own life and with Dean having the life he truly deserved. “To be honest, part of my life has improved because I met you. So that’s a thing.”

Dean smiled, honestly, without sadness. “Yeah, that’s true.” He leaned and rested his head on Cas’ shoulder. “At least we’ve got each other.”

Castiel brought his arm around Dean’s shoulders and they gazed at each other. “Yes, at least we have each other.”

July came and went like June did, and soon they were in August. Thankfully Dean didn’t appear with more visible bruises, but Castiel could never stop worrying about his friend. He was always glad to find Dean on his usual spot, as punctual as always, without any purple mark on his face, but he knew that Dean hid some of them behind his clothes. Dean didn’t want to talk about that, so Castiel didn’t press, even if he wanted to comfort him every time he suspected Dean had been beaten the previous night.

They kept spending their summer like they always did, talking, playing, drawing, walking around, taking a bath when it was too hot… And Castiel kept falling more and more in love with Dean and he kept keeping it as a secret, treasuring the moments when they were close, when Dean initiated a soft touch, when Dean looked at him in that warm way of his. Castiel wanted to tell him, but he was not only afraid of ruining his friendship with Dean, there was also the fact that loving a person of the same sex was a crime. He didn’t believe it was a crime, but the law said so and he was taught to believe homosexuality and loving a person of the same sex was both a crime and a sin, but Castiel didn’t think so. Loving Dean was beautiful, there was nothing wrong on it. Like many of the rules of the country, Castiel found no sense in that stupid law.

Besides, there was the fact that summer was coming to an end, and they would spend another seven months without seeing each other, and Castiel didn’t know what to do about that. He loved Dean, but he couldn’t have him completely. Maybe once he came back to the city his feelings would disappear, but he was well aware that it was going to be unlikely. So he kept his feelings to himself. It didn’t hurt, and his time with Dean was always amazing, so there was no reason to confess his secret love.

Dean groaned in frustration and Castiel chuckled. “Still struggling with drawing the water?” Castiel asked. They were sitting on the riverside after taking a bath. They were almost dried, but they were still only wearing their underwear. Dean decided to kill some time by drawing and Castiel was watching how he drew, because he truly loved it.

“Yeah,” Dean answered, frustrated. “Water is hard to draw with charcoal.” He made a funny grimace that Castiel secretly adored. “It’s easier with watercolors or oil.”

Castiel rested his chin on Dean’s shoulder and looked at his friend’s drawing. “Maybe you need to paint some lines that show the movement of the water,” he said with a concerned look.

“Like this?” he asked as he drew a line. Castiel hummed in agreement and Dean kept looking at the drawing with a thoughtful expression on his face, then he hummed to himself. “Great advice, Cas, thanks.”

Castiel smiled and pulled away from his friend’s shoulder and kept watching how his friend drew. He added a couple of lines to the river and the drawing definitely got better. It didn’t take his friend too long to finish the drawing. “As perfect as always, Dean,” Castiel said. He had seen hundreds of Dean’s drawing, and they all were breathtaking.

“Shouldn’t you say fucking perfect?” Dean teased.

Castiel rolled his eyes and showed Dean away, who laughed hysterically. “Shut up, assbutt.”

“It’s so easy to mess around with you.”

“I’m well aware of it,” he sassed. “You enjoy it way too much.”

“Yeah, I do.” He stood up and walked towards their clothes to leave his art stuff far from the river and then he sat down next to Cas. “Days are getting slowly colder,” he said as he looked up at the sky. “I don’t think we’ll be able to come here and take a bath ‘til next year.”

Castiel sighed. “It’s a shame.” He liked coming to the river with Dean. It was fun to swim together and play in the water.

“You are staying until September, right?”

Castiel answered his question with a nod. “Why do you ask?”

“It’s already August,” he murmured, looking at Cas’ eyes. “September is coming and I don’t want you to leave just yet.”

Castiel took a deep breath. “I don’t want either, but you know that I must go, my parents—”

“I know, Cas. I’m not blaming you. It’s just that summer’s too short. And seven months are too fucking long.” He looked down and started to play with the grass. Castiel observed Dean. He knew his friend hated Cas’ departure as much as Castiel did. “But you’ll come back, right? In the last week of April?” he asked, lifting his hopeful green eyes to meet Castiel’s.

“Of course I will come back, Dean.”

Dean smiled and nodded. “Good.”

Castiel could sense that Dean was upset, and he knew that the best way to lift his friend’s mood was with a joke. “I’m afraid you will have to put up with me for a long time, Dean.”

Dean chuckled and his eyes shone brightly. “Then, it’s a good thing that we’re friends, ‘cause if we weren’t, that would be hard.”

Castiel smiled, softly. “Will you be okay?” he asked worried.

“I’m always okay, Cas.”

Castiel gave him a sassy face. “Dean.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’ve got my little brother and Uncle Bobby. I won’t be alone.” He gave him a determined look. Castiel knew that, that Dean had some family that loved him and cared about him, but he was still worried. “You always worry too much about me.”

Castiel puffed. Dean was the one who worried about Castiel way too much. “Look who is talking.”

“Shut up,” he said, punching Castiel’s arm softly. “You should worry about all the stuff your father tells you to do so you can become a fucking Duke.”

Castiel sighed. His father was starting to force both him and Gabriel to become more like him and his friends, but both Novak kids hated it, but both had to pretend to be obedient if they didn’t want to get beaten up by their father. “You know,” Castiel started to say. “One day, once we have grown up, we should move somewhere where we can be ourselves and run from all the people that want us to be something we aren’t.”

“And where’s that place, Cas?” he asked with a heartbreaking voice.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Maybe one day we will find it. Who knows?” He smiled, but Dean looked down, sadly. “Dean, what’s wrong?”

“Don’t you sometimes think about how our different social status will pull us apart?” Dean asked, shakily. “That, maybe, one day, we won’t be able to see each other again?”

Castiel swallowed hard. He had thought about that. Every time he left his room he thought about that. Every day could be the last day he could see Dean because somebody might find out about them. “Yes, I do,” Castiel answered in a whisper. “But I try to keep thinking that no matter what, I will always come back to you. Even if I only can be with you for a couple of minutes. I don’t care. I will come back to you.”

Dean made an emotional smile. “That’s nice, Cas. And cheesy.”

Castiel rolled his eyes but chuckled.

Dean sighed. “But for now, we’re still here, together. And that’s an awesome thing.”

He turned his face and dedicated Dean a beautiful grin. “It truly is.”

“Dean, you are going to fall,” Castiel said with an upset frown.

Dean groaned. “Your lack of faith in me can be insulting sometimes, y’know?” Dean looked down at Cas, who was still standing on the grass while Dean was climbing one of the biggest oaks in the woods. He gave Castiel a mocking face that made Castiel’s frown turn into an angry one. “C’mon, don’t be mad at me. I was joking!”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “You are insufferable.”

“I’m a joy to be around,” Dean said as he sat on one of the biggest and thickest branches. Castiel made a sarcastic smile. “Yeah, okay, I can be a bit insufferable, but you still like me.” That was true. Castiel couldn’t deny that. He liked every aspect of Dean’s personality. “C’mon, Cas! Climb the tree!”

“Do you really want me to climb an oak? Are you serious?”

“I just did it, and I’m not as good at climbing as you are. And I’m pretty sure that climbing a tree is less dangerous than climbing a fence.”

Castiel sighed. There was no problem on his climbing skills, what he feared was tearing his clothes because he would have to make up a story for their governess and he didn’t want to tent his luck. He was having the best luck; nobody ever came to his room and found it empty and nobody noticed any sign that could tell where he actually was. Castiel always checked out his clothes, his skin and his hair, searching for something that could betray him and he made sure of looking as he was supposed to look.

He decided to climb up, carefully. Dean grinned excitedly. He climbed up easily, but he tried to be careful. He reached the branch where Dean was sitting and he sat next to him. “Happy?” Castiel asked sassily.

Dean rolled his eyes. “Don’t pretend you don’t like being up here.”

“I have to admit that it’s a nice view.” They weren’t in one of the highest branches, but they could see a big part of the forest that they weren’t allowed to see while they were on the grass. “And I have to admit that you always show me the best places.”

Dean smiled and blushed. “It’s nice to have someone who I can show all of this.” He looked around, smiling at the view and Castiel paid attention to his face. He liked the way the emotions painted Dean’s face. “Too bad we can’t see each other during the night. The starry night looks awesome from here.”

“Whenever I’m in the garden with Gabriel and we are looking at the stars, I think about you,” Castiel confessed sweetly. Dean turned his face to look at him and gave him a surprised look. “I would love to see the night sky with you and tell you about all the constellations and paint them on your face by following your freckles.”

Dean chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Why do you like my freckles so much?”

“Because they are beautiful and fascinating,” Castiel answered. He loved Dean’s freckles. “They are like a galaxy full of constellations.”

Dean’s eyes and face softened. He was touched by his words. “You don’t find them childish?”

“Not at all.”

“Thanks, Cas.” Dean made a tender smile and looked at the landscape. He tended to avert Cas’ eyes when he was praised. Castiel had found that Dean was embarrassed when he was complimented, and he tried to act as if he didn’t mind them, but deep down he appreciated being praised. “Hey, I—” he cleared his throat and suddenly his face was extremely flushed, making his freckles stand even more. “I made you something from some tiny pieces of the stuff we repair at the workshop.” He got his hand inside his pocket and picked up something, but Castiel couldn’t see it because Dean hid it in his fist. “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to keep it, okay?” He was really nervous and Castiel could see it. He was intrigued by Dean’s mysterious gift.

With his other hand, Dean grabbed Cas’ hand and put his palm under his fist and dropped something onto it and Castiel was finally able to see what it was. It was a necklace of a feather made of metal. It was a tiny feather, smaller than his little finger, but the detail work was amazing. The feather and its work were impressive.

“Did you do this?” Castiel asked, without taking his eyes of the beautiful metal feather.

“Yeah. Do you like it?” Dean said, still nervous.

Castiel lifted his eyes from the feather and showed Dean his most beautiful and happiest smile. “I love it, Dean. Thank you.” And before he could finish his words, he hugged Dean tightly, being very careful of not overbalancing the two of them, given that they were still sitting on a high branch.

Dean held him tighter and Castiel could feel his friend’s smile against his temple. “I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it, Dean. It’s so beautiful.” He pulled away and looked at the feather again. “It’s so fucking beautiful.” It made Dean laugh and Castiel laughed too. “But I don’t have anything to give you,” he said sadly.

“Don’t worry, Cas, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I will bring you something, although it won’t be made by me, because I’m not as talented as you are, but I will bring you something.” He wanted his friend to have something from him. He looked at the necklace and smiled. He knew he wasn’t going to be allowed to wear it, but he would keep it, secretly, like their friendship.

Castiel was the one who read the letter. September had arrived, which meant that they were going to leave very soon, and his Father’s letter confirmed it. They were leaving in a couple of days, which meant that he only had that afternoon left to be with Dean. It devastated him. Once again, his staying at Esomal came and went faster than he expected and he wanted to. How he wished summer could last for longer.

He went back to the woods, hating the fact that he would have to wait seven months to see his friend again. It was going to be a really long waiting for the two of them. But at least he had Dean’s necklace, and Dean was going to have a necklace that Castiel had had since he was a little kid. He saw that golden necklace a long time ago, and somehow, he convinced his mother to buy it, but for some reason, Castiel only wore it once and then left it on a drawer. Maybe it had been waiting for Dean.

Castiel found Dean where he always was, and when he saw him, he felt happy and sad at the same time. He would have to wait an eternity to have this again. “Hello, Dean,” he said.

And like always, Dean greeted him with “Hey, Cas.”

“I brought you a necklace,” Castiel explained as he approached Dean and sat next to him. “I have it since I was a little kid, but I want you to have it.” He gave Dean the necklace, who looked at it with a curious stare. “It’s not as beautiful as the one as you gave me but—”

“I love it,” Dean interrupted with an honest smile. He looked at the golden head with horns and he immediately hung it around his neck. “Thank you, Cas,” he added, pulling Cas into a tight hug that Cas returned tightly.

“Dean,” he tried to say, but his voice came out shakily. He wanted to cry. He hated having to leave Dean. “This is my last afternoon with you.”

Dean gasped and pulled away. “You’re leaving?”

Castiel nodded.

“Fuck,” Dean mumbled as he ran his hand through his hair. His eyes were getting glassy. “So, we won’t see each other until the last week of April?”

“Exactly.”

Dean took a deep breath. “I can’t believe summer’s over.”

“I know,” Castiel agreed, sighing. They were both sad. They didn’t want to part. They still had some hours together, but time felt bitter for them. “Seven months is a long time.”

“So fucking long.” Dean held the pendant in his hand and sighed before he leaned and rested his head on Cas’ shoulder and Castiel leaned his on top of Dean’s. “I know you’ll come back, but still—”

“It’s a really long time,” Castiel finished. “I wish things were different, Dean.”

“Me too.” He took a deep breath and pulled away. “Can I draw you one more time?”

“Of course, Dean.”

Dean drew Castiel, it didn’t take him too long, but he spent more time than usually. He wanted to draw every small feature of Castiel’s face, without missing anything. Like always, his portrait was amazing and Castiel loved it and praised Dean, who blushed. After that, they sat down under the oak and talked while they held each other, until the sun reached the point in the sky that indicated that it was time for them to say goodbye and part.

“I will see you in the last week of April,” Dean said, sadly.

“Yes,” Castiel said.

Both of them walked the small distance that separated them and they hugged. It was always so hard to say goodbye. “I’m gonna miss you so fucking much, Cas.”

“And I’m going to miss you so fucking much, too, Dean.”

Dean chuckled. They pulled away, but they still had their hands on each other’s arms and they looked at their eyes. “Take care, okay? And don’t let anyone tell you what you’ve gotta do, think or say, okay? Keep being as awesome as you are.”

Castiel couldn’t help grinning. “Okay. And you must take care of yourself, alright? I want you safe and happy.”

Dean smiled. “I’ll try.”

They shared another hug, this time it lasted longer; neither of them wanted to leave. Castiel closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of Dean, holding him. “I’ll see you in April, Dean,” Castiel said, pulling away.

“I’ll see you in April, Cas.”

They nodded and parted in opposite directions. Castiel looked back and felt his heart breaking a little. He would see Dean next year, but his heart was aching, well aware of how he was watching how the most important person in his life was walking away and they wouldn’t see in a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, for the kudos, the bookmarks, the comments and the subscriptions :)
> 
>  **IMPORTANT:** My exams are coming, so I have to take an hiatus. I don't know when I'll be able to publish the next chapter, but probably around the **middle of June** you'll have the next episode. It's a long waiting, and I'm sorry, but I really need to study for my finals.

Castiel thought that the previous year he had been excited and impatient from getting back to Esomal, but it was nothing compared about how he felt at that year. Those seven months he spent at the city were terrible. His Father was becoming really strict on Gabriel’s and Castiel’s behaviors and moods and he was forcing them to be what he truly believed a rich man of the royal society should be, something that both Novak kids hated. And Castiel was dying to get the tiny bit of freedom he always got when he saw Dean, and he was willing to see him and be happy and be himself.

Like the previous year, Castiel had to wait until his parents left the town and he had to wait another day to see that everyone’s schedule remained the same. Those days seemed almost as long as those seven months, but after that agonizing waiting, Castiel finally left his room and ran towards the woods, eager to see Dean again.

His love for his friend didn’t fade away during those seven months, but Castiel wasn’t expecting to feel his heart skip a beat the moment he saw Dean again, sitting in his usual spot, immersed in drawing. Castiel smiled and sighed; there he was his Dean. It had been so long.

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel said.

Dean immediately lifted his eyes and grinned. “Cas!” Dean exclaimed, standing up and he ran towards Cas to pull him into a tight hug. Castiel smiled, happily and touched. It was great to have Dean in his arms again, to feel his solid body against his, to be able to see him, to hear him, to smell him. “You’re back!”

“Yes, I am,” Castiel said with a big grin as he pulled away, still holding Dean’s biceps, and he looked at Dean, noticing the few changes. He was taller, and his body seemed a bit stronger. His face was slowly acquiring the features of an adult face and he was becoming even more beautiful. “You have grown again,” he commented.

“You, too. And your voice is even lower,” Dean said, laughing. He was also looking at Cas, noticing the few changes. “Fuck, it’s so damn good to see you.”

“I forgot your terrible vocabulary,” he sassed.

“You’ve missed it, don’t deny it.”

Castiel chuckled. “A bit.” They looked at each other, not letting their grip on each other go. Dean looked so beautiful. With every year that passed, he was getting more and more beautiful, and it made Castiel’s heart do wild things. “I’m so happy to be back,” Castiel said hugging Dean again.

Dean’s embrace was tight and he rubbed Cas’ back. “I’m so happy to have you back. You’ve got no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

Castiel sighed and smiled, content to be with Dean again. “I suspect that as much as I missed you.” He pulled away and looked at Dean tenderly and Dean looked at him in the same way. “We have a lot of to talk about, don’t we?”

His words made Dean grin. “Yeah, we do.” He grabbed Cas’ wrist and he pulled him until they were under the oak and they sat down. “Alright, tell me about those seven months of yours.”

“But you have to tell me about yours.”

“Of course, Cas.”

Castiel told him about the terrible education his Father was instructing him and his brother Gabriel, trying to fill their heads with ideas that neither Castiel nor Gabriel liked, but they had to pretend that they agreed with their Father. He also told him about the good things their governess taught them and the books he had read. He also told him that he had kept writing in secret, trying to get better at it.

Dean told him that his father’s alcoholism became worse, but now Dean was able to defend himself better. Dean also told him that he was still forced to work at the workshop to keep paying for everything they needed and saving for Sam’s studies and for his art stuff. Their Uncle Bobby helped them a lot, and that made them have more money saved. He also told Cas about some books he had read and how he sold a couple of drawings to some people.

“They were really impressed by my drawings,” Dean said, rubbing his nape. Castiel had missed seeing Dean’s gestures.

“Of course they were!” Castiel exclaimed happily. “Your drawings are extraordinary.” Both of them grinned. “You are selling your art already. You can be considered an artist now.”

Dean chuckled and shook his head. “I doubt it. I just sold some drawings to some people that came to the workshop and they saw them and liked them.”

“At least that’s a beginning,” he said, placing his hand on Dean’s shoulder and giving it a soft squeeze.

“You’ve got too much faith on me, Cas.”

Castiel smiled and looked at his best friend with a soft glance. “It’s the one that you gave me.”

“You big sap,” he chuckled and blushed. He gave Cas a long look and he frowned, which confused Cas. Suddenly, Dean cupped his face and made a surprised sound. “No way, you’ve got some stubble growing,” Dean commented, quite impressed.

It was barely noticeable, but Dean had noticed it and it made Castiel blush, although he knew that part of his blush was because Dean was holding his face. “Yes, a bit.”

Dean made an impressed pout and pulled his hand away. Castiel missed the touch, but he could still feel the warm ghost of it. “Next time I draw you I should add some lines to draw it.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “I barely have facial hair. I’m surprised that you have noticed it at all.”

Dean gave him a sweet look, one of those looks that made Cas’ heart skip a beat. Those looks always made him hope that Dean could feel the same way Castiel felt about Dean. “Cas, I always notice everything about you.”

The blue eyed teenager blushed quickly and he looked down, embarrassed. “Look who is the sap now.”

Dean laughed and it echoed in the woods and in Castiel’s heart. That sound was one of his favorites. He loved how bright it was and how Dean’s face lighted up with that happiness. Castiel loved it when Dean laughed, but especially when he was the reason behind Dean’s laughter.

“Fuck, I’ve missed this,” Dean confessed after his laughter faded away.

“Me too,” Castiel agreed. It was nice to feel happy and free again. He sighed and lied onto the grass, closing his eyes and feeling how the sun that leaked through the leaves warmed his face. He caressed the grass, feeling how it tickled his palms and he smiled. He heard Dean lying next to him, and Castiel opened his eyes to find him lying onto his side, propped on one elbow, resting his face on his hand and looking at Cas with gentle eyes. “What?” Castiel asked, curiously.

Dean simply smiled and brought his other hand to Cas’ chest, his fingers tracing it up, almost as if they were walking. Castiel could feel Dean’s warmth getting through his shirt, and he found himself craving for more. He wanted to get Dean closer. He looked at Dean, whose eyes were following the path of his fingers. Dean looked even more beautiful with the sunlight painting his face. Castiel wanted to kiss him and to hold him, but he remained still, feeling how Dean’s fingers walked up on his chest.

“Nothing,” Dean finally answered, and he pulled his hand away, but he looked at Cas. “Just making sure that you’re truly here.”

Castiel frowned. “I’m not a ghost.”

Dean rolled his eyes and groaned. “I know that, dumbass.”

“Assbutt.”

Castiel’s insult made Dean grin, like always. Dean sighed and rested his back on the grass, leaving only an inch in between his shoulder and Castiel’s. He turned his face to look at Cas. “It’s just that—” Dean began to say, taking his time on looking at every small detail of Castiel’s eyes. “These seven months have been too fucking long.”

“They always are it.”

“But you’re back here again,” Dean murmured, smiling. “Like you promised.”

“I will always come back to you, Dean. No matter what.”

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel said as he approached Dean.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean greeted with a wide grin.

“Wow,” Castiel said when he sat down and could see what Dean was drawing. “You got even better at drawing.”

Dean chuckled. “You’re an exaggerator, Cas.”

“No, I’m not and you know it.” He rested his head on Dean’s shoulder to take a better look at it. He thought that it was impossible for Dean to get better, but Castiel was wrong. His best friend had improved and his drawing looked real. If they were in color, nobody would know if what they were seeing was real or a drawing. “You are incredible, Dean.”

“Thanks, Cas.” He rested his head on top of Cas’ and sighed. “But I still see some flaws.”

Castiel chuckled. “You have always been a perfectionist.”

“Is that bad?”

“No, but—” He sighed and pulled away from Dean, grabbing the paper where he was drawing. “But look at this, Dean. It looks almost real. You have reached perfection.”

“Shut up, Cas. You’re making me blush.” He grabbed his drawing and looked away, trying to hide his blush and smile from Cas, but Castiel cupped his face and turned it so their eyes could meet.

“I mean it, Dean. You know I don’t lie to you.”

Dean nodded and swallowed hard. “I know,” he murmured. He pulled from Cas’ grip and made a tiny smile before getting back to draw. “You and Sammy are my biggest admirers,” he said, chuckling.

Castiel chuckled too. He watched how Dean finished his drawing. It was almost finished; Dean only had to add a few details, so it didn’t take him too long. Then, he put his art stuff away and he and Cas talked. Both of them were reaching adulthood, and that could be noticed in their talks. They still talked about their lives, books and all the things they liked, but now they were also talking about society and politics. It was nice to have somebody who had ideas similar to Castiel’s. Castiel knew that Gabriel shared his ideas, but they couldn’t talk freely. But he could do it with Dean.

Dean was really intelligent, even if Dean said he wasn’t, but Castiel could see how truly intelligent Dean was. He didn’t have the education Castiel had, but Dean’s knowledge was incredible and rich, and he tried to learn as much as he could about everything, something that Castiel really admired.

After talking, they decided to take a walk around the woods, because they needed to stretch their legs for a while, and both of them enjoyed walking. There were times when their hands brushed, and Castiel tried to remain calm, but he wanted so bad to hold Dean’s hand. He tried to calm his restless heart, but it was so difficult. Having Dean that close made it impossible.

Suddenly Dean stopped. “Yes!” Dean exclaimed happily, looking at Castiel, who was confused. Dean pointed in front of them and Castiel saw a cherry tree, filled with cherries. “I wasn’t sure if it’d have cherries or not,” he explained as they walked towards the tree. He got a couple of cherries and gave Cas some of them. “These are the best cherries you’ll ever taste, Cas, trust me.”

Castiel looked at the shiny, red fruit. They looked tasty and smelled really good. He got one into his mouth and tasted it, its sweet juice filling his mouth. He made a pleased sound that made Dean laugh.

“Told you,” Dean said with a grin before getting some into his mouth. “They’re so fucking good.”

Castiel chuckled and spitted the seed. “You always have to say that word, don’t you?”

“You kind of like it, don’t deny it,” Dean teased.

Castiel rolled his eyes and kept eating some cherries. “Assbutt.”

Dean grinned. Suddenly, Castiel noticed that Dean’s lips were covered in the juice of the cherries, and they were extremely red. Dean looked funny and Castiel started to laugh, making Dean frown, not knowing why his friend was laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“Your lips,” Castiel explained in between laughs. “They look painted.”

Dean brought his hand to his lips and rubbed it, getting juice on the back of his hand, but part of his lips was still painted in red. “Is it gone?”

“No, not completely,” Castiel answered, still laughing, but softer than before. Dean licked his lips, trying to remove the juice, but he only managed to spread it under his bottom lip. “You are making a worse mess,” Castiel said, and Dean glared him. “Let me clean it.” He placed his hand on Dean’s bottom lip and wiped off the juice. He wasn’t aware of what he was doing or how close they were until he finished it. “Done,” Castiel murmured, feeling how his cheeks blushed. He shouldn’t have done that, that was crossing their boundaries, but Dean didn’t look mad at him or anything, he was looking at him almost mesmerized.

“You have some, too,” Dean murmured with a low voice. His fingers brushed Castiel’s lips, making Cas silently gasp at the touch. It was just a touch, but it had Castiel breathing hard. Dean wiped off his lips, softly and delicately, and Castiel watched his best friend’s face during the whole time. “If somebody at your house sees you with those lips, they’re gonna suspect,” Dean said when he was done.

“I know.”

In that part of the forest, there was more sunlight than in the part they always were. Dean’s green eyes seemed greener than usually, and they shone bright under the sunlight. His light brown hair had golden shades under that light. His freckles looked more impressive. And his lips had a beautiful color.

Castiel wanted to kiss him, he wanted to have Dean. His heart was aching for him. He loved him. He wanted to tell Dean about how he felt, about how much he loved him, how much he desired him, but he didn’t say a word and kept the small distance in between them, even though every fiber of his being wanted to lean in and kiss Dean.

“Thank you,” Castiel said, pulling away, breaking the moment, hating himself for doing so. He wanted to have Dean, but he wasn’t sure if Dean felt the same and how he felt about loving another boy. He knew that Dean was really tolerant, but he had to make sure before doing something his friend didn’t like.

“Cas,” Dean said, grinning.

“Yes?”

“You’ve got juice on the tip of your nose,” Dean answered, chuckling.

Castiel rubbed his nose and saw that he had juice. “Is it gone?”

“Yeah. But I would recommend you to wash your hands. Just in case.”

“We should go to the river,” Castiel suggested, looking at his stained hands.

“Good idea. It’s not far from here,” he said as they started walking. “Y’know, you’re a mess when it comes to eating fruit. A Duke shouldn’t be that messy.”

“Fuck you, Dean,” Castiel muttered, teasingly.

Dean laughed hysterically, and Castiel found himself grinning as he saw and heard his friend like that. He loved it when Dean laughed like that. He loved it when Dean was happy. He loved Dean so much.

“Can I ask you something, Dean?” Castiel said, looking at Dean.

“Sure, Cas,” Dean answered casually, turning his face to look at him.

Castiel felt his heart racing with the upcoming question. “Do you think that love between people of the same sex is wrong?”

“No, of course not,” he answered with an obvious face.

Castiel raised his eyebrows in delighted surprise. “You don’t?”

“No, Cas. Why? Do you think is bad?” he asked with an alarmed voice.

“Of course not, Dean! It’s just that I have heard everyone around me say that homosexuality and loving a person of the same sex is wrong and a sin that I’m glad and surprised to hear somebody who doesn’t think so.”

Dean let out a relieved chuckle. “Well, I guess that some people don’t understand that love is love. No matter what. And considering homosexuality a crime, it’s one of the many stupid and nonsense laws we have in this country. Like the one about women not being allowed to study in the college they want to or being forbidden to have the same rights as any man just ‘cause they are women.”

“I hate that law so fucking much,” Castiel said disgusted. His Father believed in those laws and it made Castiel disgusted. “And that same law can be applied to people of color. Not to forget that interracial relationships are also forbidden.” All those laws made him so mad and Castiel couldn’t understand why such terrible laws could exist.

“Yeah, all of those laws are so fucking unjust and stupid.”

Castiel sighed, frustrated. “Yes, they are.”

Dean looked at him with a curious frown. “Why did you ask me if I thought that loving someone of the same sex was wrong, Cas?”

Castiel bit his lip. He could tell Dean part of the secret he had been holding in his heart for so long, but he had to be careful; he didn’t want to release the whole truth yet. “I have a friend, and I’m in love with him, but I don’t know if he loves me or not,” he began to say, looking down, trying to hide his blush.

“Cas,” Dean said with a soft voice and Castiel looked back at him. “You do realize that I’m your only friend, right?” he said with an obvious face.

Castiel felt how his blood turned cold. He forgot about that little one detail. “Yes,” he murmured, really ashamed. “I— I—” He should have thought better. “If you want to ignore what I just said, I’m more than okay with it.” He wanted to punch himself. Why did he have to say it? Now Dean was going to hate him for telling him.

“There’s no way I’m gonna ignore what you just said,” Dean said with an extremely calmed voice that made Castiel both confused and startled. “Cas,” Dean kept talking, with a big grin. “I love you, too.”

Castiel’s heart skipped a beat. “You love me?” he asked. Those three words were full of relief, happiness and surprise.

“Yeah,” Dean answered, blushing. “I’m surprised you didn’t notice. I’ve been quite obvious this year. Although I was pretty obvious during last year, too.” He rubbed his nape and looked down, making a timid smile.

“Then, why didn’t you tell me before?”

“I thought you didn’t feel the same,” he answered shrugging.

Castiel gave him an obvious glare. “Dean, I was almost yelling it.”

Dean chuckled. “Guess we’re a couple of dumbasses.”

Castiel chuckled, too. “Yeah, I guess.” They looked at each other, with big grins. “I love you,” he said, and Dean grinned. “I think this is the part where we kiss.”

Dean laughed. “Of fucking course,” he said and before Castiel could move, Dean was cupping his face and kissing him tenderly.

Castiel let out a soft moan and closed his eyes, getting one of his hands on Dean’s hair and the other on Dean’s jaw, kissing Dean back. It felt better than what he had imagined. Dean’s lips were soft and warm and they felt amazing against Castiel’s. It was everything and more of what Castiel wanted and he was finally allowed to have it. His heart was racing in his chest, beating harder and faster than in his whole life, spreading happiness from his chest to every part of his body.

They pulled away to get some air and looked at each other with their eyes half closed. They were breathing hard, and Castiel could feel Dean’s heart from how close their chests were.

“That was really good,” Dean said.

“That was so fucking good,” Castiel murmured.

Dean grinned and Castiel was the one who initiated their second kiss, loving how good it was to feel Dean’s smile against his lips. That second kiss was even better, and both of them enjoyed it. They kept kissing, until neither of them knew when one kiss finished and when another started. They didn’t care; all they wanted was to kiss, to show each other with their lips and their soft touches how much they loved each other.

Castiel couldn’t help thinking how something as good and beautiful as that could be forbidden and be considered both a crime and a sin. Kissing Dean was the greatest thing in the world, and loving him was even greater. He couldn’t understand how anybody could think that loving each other could be wrong.

Summer came with June. Dean and Castiel were happy and in love. Everything remained the same in between them, the only thing that changed was that they were allowed to kiss and touch. If one of them wanted to get closer, they did it. If one of them wanted to kiss the other, they kissed. Castiel couldn’t remember being as happy as he was during those days.

They were in the river, swimming and playing around. It was a really hot day and the cold water of the river was more than welcoming. Dean was splashing Castiel, laughing loudly and brightly. Castiel splashed Dean too, because he wasn’t going to let him win their funny competition. There was a moment when Dean started to tickle Castiel and Castiel was unable to splash him. Dean was holding him tightly and Castiel couldn’t get away. Dean got his hands on his waist and lifted him, and Castiel started to shake his legs, splashing water everywhere, soaking the two of them.

“Let me go, Dean!” Castiel exclaimed in between laughter.

“If I let you go, you’ll fall and hurt yourself,” Dean teased.

“Then, let me go slowly and carefully.”

“Okay,” he said before kissing his cheek. He let Castiel go as Castiel suggested. The river wasn’t too deep, so it was easy to hurt themselves if they fell. But Dean held him tightly until Cas was standing. “Happ—” Dean couldn’t finish his sentence because Castiel splashed him as hard as he could. “You dick.”

Castiel chuckled. He knew that Dean was about to splash him again, but he held his wrists, pining them to his sides and he leaned in and kissed him. “Assbutt,” he whispered softly.

Dean smirked. Castiel let go of his wrists and placed his hands on Dean’s shoulder as he deepened the kiss. Dean didn’t waste a second and brought his to the small of Castiel’s back. When they pulled away, they smiled and looked at each other’s eyes, pressing their foreheads together. They were safe in the forest. Nobody knew about them, nobody knew about how much they loved each other. It was safe. In the forest this wasn’t forbidden.

“I think it’s time to get out,” Dean said with a grimace.

Castiel sighed. “Yes, I know.” He really enjoyed being in the river. He liked how the fresh water drenched his skin. But they always had to get out really soon so Castiel could dry.

They got out of the water and sat next to the riverside. Dean had grabbed the last cherries from the cherry tree and brought them to the river so they could eat them after their bath. “Don’t stain your underwear,” Dean reminded him with a warning stare.

Castiel glared him. “I’m not a child, Dean.”

Dean huffed. “You’re so adorable when you get mad at me.”

“Shut up,” he protested, pushing Dean away, earning him a laugh. “You are terrible.”

“But you still love me,” Dean said with flirting eyes, before pressing a tender kiss on Cas’ naked shoulder.

“I wonder why,” he teased with a funny grimace.

Dean pretended to be hurt, placing his hand on his chest, dramatically. “That hurts, dumbass.”

Castiel laughed as he kept eating cherries, looking at Dean with heart-eyes.

“I really like this place,” Dean said as he chewed some cherries.

“It’s really nice,” Castiel agreed. “I tend to think about this place when I write.”

“You do?”

Castiel hummed. “Yes. It’s inspiring. If one day I become a writer, I could write about this place.” He sighed and looked down at his hands that were holding some cherries. “But I doubt that will ever happen. I don’t think anyone in my family would allow a Novak member to publish fiction.”

“You could publish with a pseudonym,” Dean suggested.

That seemed like a good idea. “Yes, I could. I could come out with a name.” He made a thoughtful face. “How about Emmanuel?”

“Emmanuel? Seriously?” Dean asked with a grimace.

“What’s wrong with Emmanuel?”

“That name doesn’t suit you at all.”

“And what better way to use a name that doesn’t suit me to hide my real identity?”

Dean made an agreement pout. “Touché.” He stood up and walked towards the river to clean his hands and face for the cherry juice. “But you’ll need a last name, too.”

“I know, but I don’t know which one.” He took a deep breath and went to the river to clean himself as well. “I guess I will end up picking the last name of some character.” They walked back to where they were sitting before, in the spot where there was more sunlight. “Do you really think I have a chance on publishing?”

“Yeah,” Dean said, really convinced.

Castiel scowled him. “You haven’t even read anything I have written.”

“But I know you, and you’re really good at telling stores and you’ve got a lot of imagination, so I’m more than sure that you’re good at writing.” He got his arm around Cas’ shoulders and pressed him closer. “Not to mention that you are extremely intelligent and cunning, so I’m pretty sure you’ll find a way to publish without your family knowing.”

Castiel smiled shyly and blushed. “Thank you, Dean.”

Dean kissed his temple and Castiel’s smile widened. He brought his hand to the small of Dean’s back and they remained like that while the sun dried the water from their bodies. Castiel loved that they could be like that, holding each other, without saying a word, being in a comfortable silence, hearing the sounds of nature.

“Can I draw you?” Dean asked, half shy, half excited.

“Of course, Dean. I don’t know why you have to ask,” Castiel said with an obvious glare.

“What if someday you don’t want me to draw you?”

Castiel scowled at him. “Seriously? Do you really think I will ever get tired of you drawing me?”

Dean shrugged. “I don’t know. Weird things happen.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “You enjoy drawing me and I enjoy you drawing me.” It was one of his favorite things. He really liked anything that Dean drew, but the way he drew Castiel showed how passionate he was about art. When it came to drawing Castiel, Dean put all his heart in it. “So I don’t think either of us will get tired of it.”

Dean chuckled as he drew. “I still don’t know why my drawing skills fascinate you so much.”

“Are you being sarcastic? Dean, have you actually seen what you draw? It’s incredible!”

“You overrate me.”

“Don’t make me kick you, Dean.”

Dean chuckled. “So adorable.”

Castiel groaned. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t” Dean said with a smirk, without taking his eyes from his drawing.

Castiel couldn’t help smiling, sweetly. “No, I don’t.” He would never hate him. He knew it. He looked at Dean, who was focused on his drawing, stealing a couple of glances at Cas to made sure his drawing was accurate. As Castiel looked at him, he felt a puncture in his heart. He always felt that puncture when he thought about losing Dean. As long as they had these woods they were safe, but Castiel feared for being forbidden to see Dean. “Dean,” he said. Dean hummed, indicating him to go on. “I love you so much.” He wanted to express his fears, but he knew that Dean felt those same fears too. He didn’t want to stain their moments together with fears, speaking out what they both knew. For now they were safe, and they should be happy. They didn’t need to worry about that.

Dean lifted his eyes from his drawing and gave Cas one of his most beautiful smiles. “I know. And I love you so much, too.”

“I know.” Castiel smiled. _Let me have him. Don’t take him away from me, please._

“You’re thinking about bad stuff, aren’t you?” Dean asked suddenly. Castiel startled and frowned, tilting his head to one side. “I know that’s your thinking about problems face.”

Castiel chuckled; Dean could read him too well. “Yes, I am.”

“Is it about the fear of someone knowing about us?” Dean inquired with a calculative look. Castiel nodded and made a sad face. “I think about that too, sometimes.”

“Yes, I know,” Castiel murmured, sighing. “I’m scared of losing you.”

Dean put his drawing stuff away and approached Cas, cupping his face and looking directly at his eyes. “You told me that, not mattered what, you’ll come back to me. All I ask you is to keep that promise, okay? I don’t care for how long I have to wait, okay?” He gave Castiel an intense look, wanting him to know that he meant every word.

“Okay,” Castiel said and kissed him. “Okay,” he repeated, breathing into Dean.

Dean nodded and got back to drawing. They didn’t say any other word about that topic and Dean started a conversation about some Spanish painters that both of them liked. Dean was always an expert on making things good again. Both of them easily forgot their previous topic, and soon Dean finished his portrait of Cas.

It was perfect. Like everything he drew.

“I once read that we can’t see the true colors of butterflies,” Dean commented. They were lying on the grass, looking at some butterflies that were flying above some daffodils. “That they have colors that our eyes can’t see. Do you think that’s true?”

“I know that it’s true. Science said so,” Castiel answered, focused on the butterflies in front of them. They were really beautiful.

“But it’s hard to think about a new color that doesn’t exist. I can’t create a new color, so what do those colors look like?”

Castiel made a grimace. “I have never thought about creating a new color. That’s impossible. We can’t imagine a color that doesn’t exist already. My head hurts from just thinking about it.”

Dean laughed. “Maybe science can create a new color. Who knows?”

“I didn’t know you liked science,” Castiel said impressed, looking at Dean.

“Science’s cool. I don’t know much, only what I’ve read in some books, but I like it. Especially when it’s about curious stuff or stuff that helps people, y’know?” He looked at Cas and made a pretty smile that had Castiel grinning. “What?”

“Nothing,” Castiel answered before kissing him. “You are adorable when you talk about something you like.”

Dean buried his face in his arms and made a frustrated groan. “Stop making me blush, Cas.”

“Never,” Castiel said, laughing. He pressed a kiss on Dean’s shoulder and Dean gave him a playful look and smiled. “Blush suits you, Dean.”

“You’re the fucking worst sometimes.”

“That’s because you’re a bad influence.”

“You know I’m one of the best influences in your life,” Dean said with an obvious glare.

Castiel laughed. “Yes, you are it.” He kissed him again, enjoying how Dean’s lips formed a sweet smile in it. “I think it’s time for us to go,” Castiel said sadly. Time to leave always came too soon for the two of them.

“Yeah, I know,” Dean said, frustrated. “I’ll see you tomorrow, right?” he asked after standing up.

“Yes.” He shook off the grass of his clothes and Dean removed some of his hair. “Thank you, Dean.” He leaned and kissed him. “See you.”

“See you, Cas.”

They walked in opposite directions and walked towards their respective houses. Castiel knew the way back perfectly. Even if he was blind, he would be able to come back home without getting lost. He could even climb up the fence and the iron structure where the climbing plant was even if he was blind.

Their governess arrived at her usual time to tell Castiel to get ready for dinner. Castiel had mastered his façade; nobody ever noticed anything unusual on him or on his behavior, nobody ever noticed anything that could reveal his big secret. He had become an expert on pretending in front of everyone.

He retired to his bedroom after dinner to read something. He had some free time before his sleeping time, and he felt like reading. He hadn’t opened his book when his brother Gabriel came into his room.

“Something’s wrong?” Castiel asked confused. Gabriel barely came into his bedroom. His bother always kept his little brother’s privacy.

“Where were you?” Gabriel demanded with a murmuring voice.

Castiel frowned and gave his brother a confusing look. “What do you mean?”

“This afternoon I came in here to know if you had one of those books Father forbid us to read and I saw there was no one in here,” Gabriel explained. Castiel tried to remain calmed, but he knew that his face was revealing part of the panic he was feeling. “And I looked around everywhere and you were nowhere to be seen.”

“Did you tell anyone?” Castiel asked, standing up from his chair and getting into Gabriel’s space. Gabriel was older than him, but Castiel was already an inch taller than him.

“No, I didn’t, Cassie.” It made Castiel sigh in relief. “But I wanted to tell Ms. Taylor. Why weren’t you here?”

Castiel ran his hand on his hair, nervously. “I can’t tell you.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Fine, I will tell Ms. Taylor.”

Castiel grabbed his brother’s wrist. “No, please, Gabe, don’t tell her, don’t tell anyone.” He was whispering, but every word he said marked his desperation, and Gabriel looked at him with a curious and worried frown. Castiel sighed. He had to tell his brother, but he didn’t want to. “Please, don’t tell anyone, promise me that you won’t.”

“I won’t, but Cassie, you have to tell me. I was worried that something bad happened to you. If you don’t tell me, I’ll be forced to let someone know, just in case.”

His brother had a point, but Castiel didn’t want to let his brother know. He knew he could trust him. He had changed and he tried to be as discrete as possible, especially since their Father started to be so strict with their education, but still, Castiel was unsure. But if he didn’t tell him, his brother would find out one way of another.

“I will tell you, but promise me that you won’t tell anyone about it. No matter what. You have to keep this secret, understand?” Castiel said, looking at his brother with determination and worry.

Gabriel nodded. “Understand.”

“No one can ever know. I have never asked you anything in my life, Gabe, but I’m asking you right now to do this thing for me, okay?”

“Yeah, baby bro, just spit it out.”

“Gabriel, please, promise me you won’t tell anyone ever.”

“I promise you,” Gabriel said in a serious tone, which meant that he would keep his promise.

Castiel took a deep breath. “I was in the woods,” he began to explain.

“In the woods?” his brother asked, whispering. When they were alone, they always whispered, just in case somebody was listening to them. It had become something they did for their safety. “But how did you do it without anyone seeing you?”

“By climbing,” Castiel answered. “I have been going to the woods since I was twelve, almost every afternoon.”

Gabriel smirked. “Look at you, Cassie, being a disobedient kid. I’m proud of you.” He really looked proud and Castiel couldn’t help grinning and rolling his eyes. “But what’s in the woods that has you going out almost every afternoon?”

“A friend. I met him since the first day I got out and we have become really good friends.” He avoided revealing that he and Dean were more than friends. He knew that his brother Gabriel was tolerant and that he thought that homosexuality being a crime was something stupid, but Castiel had to keep that part of his relationship with Dean in secret. “He is amazing and that’s why I always leave this room to see him. We spend a couple of hours together, having fun and talking. It’s great.”

“It must be,” Gabriel said with a nostalgic grin. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I don’t know if you are aware of it, but you have always had a big mouth,” Castiel answered with an obvious glare.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Okay, yeah, I’m guilty. But you know I would never do or say anything that would hurt you.”

“A couple of minutes ago you wanted to tell Ms. Taylor about my abstention.”

“That’s ‘cause I thought something bad happened to you, you dummy,” he muttered, looking at him protectively. He always cared about Castiel so much. “So, you’ve been doing this for years and nobody has noticed it? I’m the first one who knows?”

Castiel nodded. “It helps having you as a brother. Everyone is keeping an eye on you because you are restless, while everybody thinks that I’m being a good kid in my bedroom.”

“Don’t get all presumptuous, Cassie,” Gabriel said with a fake pissed off voice. “I’m really impressed about you. Who knew I had a rebellious little brother? Good job.”

“Shut up,” he said chuckling.

“Okay, I’ll keep your secret. I won’t say a word, I swear,” he said with honesty. “If nobody has noticed you weren’t here before, I don’t think they will now. But if for some reason somebody wants to get into your room, I’ll distract them.”

“You really would do that?” Castiel asked. Sometimes he forgot what an awesome brother Gabriel could be.

“Of course. Anything to protect you, baby bro. If somebody finds out about this, Father would do terrible things to you. We both know it.” Yes, they both knew that they shouldn’t enrage their father. “But you owe me,” he added with his eyebrows arched.

Castiel chuckled. “I know. And thank you, Gabriel.”

“No problem, Cassie. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

His brother left the room and Castiel sighed relieved. He was glad about having Gabriel to watch his back. He thought that telling Gabriel about he going to the woods to see Dean was going to be a bad decision, but it turned out better than he expected.

Gabriel kept his promise and didn’t say a word about Castiel leaving his room to go to the woods and be with his friend. Sometimes Gabriel asked a few questions about Dean, but he only did it when they were alone and nobody could hear them. Castiel was glad of having told his brother. He still held secrets about Dean, mostly the ones that involved him and Dean being a couple, but Castiel talked about the rest and he liked having someone to talk about how awesome Dean was. Gabriel sometimes dropped a hint about how his little brother seemed to have a crush on Dean, but Castiel always denied it.

July had come, as unnoticed as June did. Castiel and Dean tended to lose the sense of time, lost in the happiness they had built in the forest, sharing kisses, touches and words of love, laughing and playing, talking about important things and nothing at all. The nature was the only thing that knew about them, and it gave them a sense of privacy and safety. Castiel wanted to live in there, apart from the world, apart from the laws that told that what he and Dean had was wrong. _Here we can be free_ , Castiel thought, _here I can love him freely_.

Castiel had his head resting on Dean’s chest and Dean caressed his hair softly. They were lying on the grass, looking at the sky and the clouds that passed by, with the impulse of the summer breeze. Dean always found comfort in having Cas’ close, and Castiel could understand him, because he felt the same about Dean.

He moved his eyes from the sky to take a look at Dean and he smiled. He smiled even wider when he saw part of the necklace he gave to Dean, shining brightly under the sunlight. Dean never took it off. He loved wearing it. And when he was nervous, he tended to hold the pendant in his hand and roll it.

“Do you think clouds taste like something?” Dean asked, suddenly.

Castiel frowned and looked at Dean. “You ask really weird questions.”

Dean chuckled. “Yeah, but at least I’m not as weird as you are.”

“Is that meant to insult me?” he asked, sassily, rolling onto his stomach so he could rest his arms on Dean’s chest and lean his chin on them. He gave Dean a funny look, to know that he was simply teasing him.

“Of course not, Cas. You know I love how weird you are.” He grinned and looked up at the sky. “I’d like to know what clouds taste like.”

“I’m pretty sure they taste like water.”

“Yeah, but they’re in the shape of clouds, so the taste must be different. Cheese and milk taste differently, and cheese is just solid milk that you can chew.”

Castiel laughed. “Your mind is fascinating, Dean.”

Dean rolled his eyes and pulled Cas away, making him roll onto the grass. “Shut up, Cas.”

Castiel punched him playfully and lied next to Dean, with their shoulders pressed together. “You are weird, too,” he said with a big grin. He reached Dean’s hand and they laced their fingers together.

“Sap,” Dean whispered with a smirk.

“I can pull my hand away if you want me to.”

“Don’t you dare.”

Castiel laughed and held Dean’s hand tighter. “Assbutt.”

“You really love using that word with me, don’t you?” Dean asked with a sarcastic voice, but he was grinning.

“You like it, I know it. You always make a happy face when I call you that.” Since the beginning of their friendship, Castiel was well aware of how that ‘insult’ always brought a smile to Dean’s face, even if Dean rolled his eyes or pretended to be mad at him; he always smiled at that word.

“That’s not true.”

Castiel gave him an obvious glare. “You are smiling right now.”

“Whatever,” he muttered, blushing.

Castiel laughed again and kissed Dean’s cheek. “You are adorable when you are grumpy.”

Dean chuckled. “You’re the fucking worst, Cas.”

“And yet, you love me.”

“So fucking much, in fact,” Dean said with a wide grin and leaned in to kiss Cas.

Sometimes Dean and Castiel walked around the woods, or they took a bath in the river, or the sat down under the tree and talked with or without Dean drawing. And sometimes they just sat down the same old oak and made out, taking their time on kissing and caressing each other, smiling in every kiss, and that was what they were doing that afternoon.

Dean was a great kisser, although Castiel had never kissed anyone before, but he knew that Dean was an excellent kisser. His mouth always moved perfectly and so did his hands. Castiel was at first a bit clumsy, but he got better in a couple of days and he got to know what Dean really enjoyed and made him moan.

“So—” Dean began to say in between kisses. “You’ve got any other plan,” another kiss, with Castiel nibbling Dean’s bottom lip. “Or are we gonna spend the afternoon making out?”

“I like the making out plan,” Castiel said casually before kissing Dean again.

“Yeah, me too,” Dean said, chuckling, and they kept kissing again.

Dean ran his hands through Cas’ hair, slowly, deepening the kiss, getting his eager tongue inside Castiel’s mouth, which always made Castiel moan and grip Dean tighter. Every kind of kiss that Dean gave him was always extraordinary and left Castiel breathless.

“You still need to catch your breath?” Dean asked with a smirk.

“You are really breathtaking,” Castiel answered cockily.

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

They went back to kissing, this time sweetly and tenderly. Castiel really liked those kisses. It was so easy to forget about everything when he and Dean were kissing like that and holding each other. He always wanted to stop time and have this for as long as they wanted to. If only…

“Castiel!” A rough voice yelled.

Castiel and Dean pulled away and looked at the direction where the voice came from. Castiel’s blood froze the moment he had heard that voice, but he was hoping that his mind was playing tricks on him, but it wasn’t; in front of them there was his Father, looking angrier than in his whole life. He had caught Dean and Castiel kissing, and his face was full of disgust and rage.

“Run,” Castiel whispered to Dean in panic as he saw how his Father approached them.

“I’m not leaving you,” Dean whispered, his voice full of braveness and protection.

Castiel wanted to say something, but instead of talking, he stood up and placed himself in front of Dean, trying to protect him. Dean stood up, too, and tried to get in front of Castiel, but Castiel avoided it. The blue eyed teenager was about to try to talk to his Father, but his Father pushed him away, throwing him a few feet away from the oak. His Father had always been a strong man and he could manhandle anyone without any effort at all.

The fall hurt Castiel, especially on his head and back, but he was sure that he didn’t break any bone. When he looked back to where Dean was, his Father had Dean gripped by his shirt, lifting him from the floor. Dean was trying to get away from his grip, but Castiel knew it was useless; but Dean kept trying, looking at the Duke with rage and bravery.

“Father! Don’t!” Castiel yelled, running towards where they were. He tried to make his Father let go of Dean, but it was useless. “Let him go, Father!” Castiel yelled, earning him another push.

“I won’t let this slag go!” his Father yelled.

Castiel tried to run towards his Father to help Dean, but two men were grabbing him and pulling him away. Castiel looked at them and recognized them; they were some of the men that worked for his Father, and they weren’t the only ones that had arrived to that part of the forest. There were about ten in total that appeared out of nowhere. His Father always liked to come in first, followed by his men.

“Dean! Dean!” Castiel screamed, fighting against the grip of the men that were gripping him. They were almost as strong as his Father, but Castiel needed to get away from them. If he didn’t do anything, his Father would hurt Dean, and that was the nicest thing the Duke could do to Dean after seeing that he was kissing his son. “DEAN!” Castiel screamed again, hurting his voice as the name came out. He saw his Father moving his hands towards Dean’s neck, wanting to choke him, and Castiel had to do something, and in that moment he was aware that his Father was the only one who saw them, and he knew that he was going to try to keep that secret from everyone to keep the Novak name clean. And Castiel had to use that to save Dean. “Hurt him and I will tell everyone what you saw us doing!” Castiel yelled enraged.

His Father dropped Dean, who fell onto the floor with a loud thump. He was breathing hard, but he was breathing. “Are you blackmailing me, Castiel?!” The Duke muttered, furious.

Castiel had always feared his Father, and he still did it, but during that moment, he felt brave; he had the power to save Dean and he would use it. Even if the consequences were going to be terrible, but Castiel knew that after what his Father saw, there was no way he would be able to see Dean. His worse fears had come true, and now, all that mattered to Castiel was to save Dean.

“Hurt him and I will tell everyone,” Castiel repeated, making sure to bold every word. “The Novak name will be stained forever and you know it. So let him go.” As he spoke, Dean was looking at Cas. His green eyes were a hurricane of feelings. There was devotion, love, fear and bravery, and Castiel was sure that his eyes were speaking the same. “I want him in one piece or I will tell everything.”

“How dare you, Castiel,” his Father said, putting hate in every word he said. He pulled away from Dean and with his hand he indicated two of his men to hold Dean while he walked towards Castiel. “Do you really think you are in position of negotiating this?”

“I won’t say it again, Father.” He was feeling braver than in his whole life, with adrenaline running in his body. He had never challenged his Father, he always pretended to be an obedient son, to agree with everything his Father told him, but it was time to show his Father that he was no longer afraid of him, even if he was terrified of knowing what his Father was capable of doing, but Dean’s life was in Castiel’s hands, and he needed to remain calm and challenging. “Don’t hurt him in any way, let him go or I will tell everyone what you saw.”

He could see in his Father’s eyes how he was thinking about his possibilities and how he was studying Castiel’s face, trying to know if he was bluffing or not. Castiel kept eye contact with his Father the whole time. If his Father won, Dean’s life would be gone.

“Let the boy go,” the Duke finally muttered to the other two men and then he turned around, to look at Dean. “If I ever see you next to my son, I will kill you and your whole family, do you understand?”

Dean looked at the Duke with a challenging and enraged look. Castiel had never saw Dean like that. He had his fists in a ball and it looked as if he was ready to fight everyone. He looked at Cas, briefly, but Castiel was able to mouth a silent “go” and Dean turned around, grabbed his art stuff and left, without looking back.

Castiel hated not being able to say a proper goodbye to Dean. He hated knowing that this was the last time they were going to see each other. He couldn’t understand why his Father was in town. He always sent a letter to announce his arrival, but there hadn’t been a letter, and now Castiel wasn’t going to be able to see Dean again. Everything that they had, everything they had built, everything they tried so hard to keep, fell apart until it became dust in a couple of minutes, and Castiel wanted to cry.

Suddenly, his Father punched Castiel’s stomach, painfully and hard, and Castiel was well aware of the painful reality. He looked at his Father with a furious and deadly glare and his Father punched him again.

“You are going to pay for this, Castiel,” the Duke began to say. He grabbed Castiel’s face, squeezing his cheeks painfully, forcing their eyes to meet. Castiel wasn’t going to show any weakness in front of the man who just had taken away the love of his life. Castiel was going to remain defiant in his eyes. “You are never going to see that scum boy ever again. We are never going to come back here. We are going to leave tomorrow, first time in the morning. And I’m going to make sure that you are guarded, because there is no possible way I’m going to let that happen ever again. I won’t let the Novak name be stained because of you.” When he finished speaking, he punched Castiel’s face, breaking his nose, which it started to bleed immediately.

Castiel was carried by the same two men the whole way back to the house, and when they arrived, they made sure of putting him in a room that had no windows and which its door could be closed. His Father came in and beat him, harder than ever. Castiel tried to fight back, but the Duke was a strong and huge man, and even thought Castiel was tall, he still didn’t have enough muscular strength.

His Father left the room, leaving Castiel on the floor, covered in bruises. The Duke had tried to avoid punching Castiel’s face because if somebody saw him, he knew people would start asking questions. The moment the door closed, Castiel started crying, not because of the physical pain, although he knew that he was also crying for that, but he was mainly crying because of the pain in his heart. He was never going to see Dean again, he was never going to hear his voice, to touch him, to kiss him. His Father was going to make sure of it, and when the Duke made a promise, he always kept it.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Castiel made sure to wipe off his tears, just in case it was his Father who came back, but he was relieved when he saw his brother Gabriel. “Cassie,” Gabriel said with a heartbreaking voice. He closed the door and walked towards Castiel, kneeling in front of them and looking at his wounds. “What has Father done to you?”

“He gave me the worst beating of history,” Castiel mumbled.

“I tried to get him away from your room, but I couldn’t—” Gabriel started to tell.

“I know.” He knew that his big brother hadn’t said a word, that he tried to protect him. “Did he send a letter that we missed? He always announces his arrival.”

Gabriel took a deep breath. “He didn’t send anything because he wanted to make a surprise visit to know if everything was in order,” he began to explain. “He went to my room first and told me and then he went to yours, I tried to do everything I could to keep him away from your room, Cassie, I swear, but—” He gasped and held his brother’s face tighter. “I should have tried to do anything but—”

“Gabe, I know, don’t worry.”

“Don’t worry? After what he has done to you?” His brother let out a few tears and groaned in frustration. He pulled away and tried to calm his crying, and Castiel saw a bruise on his brother’s collarbone.

“He has beaten you, too,” Castiel commented.

“Yeah,” Gabriel said. “He tried to know where you were and I kept telling him I didn’t know. He didn’t believe me, but I kept telling him I didn’t know. After some more beatings, he decided that I was either protecting you or that I didn’t have any idea, so he just called his men and went looking for you.”

Castiel took a deep breath. Even that simple action hurt him. Why did his Father decided to come that day? Why couldn’t he write about his arrival? He cursed his Father and his stupid surprise visit. He and Dean could still be able to see each other if his Father didn’t decide to come over.

“What happened? What did Father see? I have never seen him as furious as he is,” Gabriel said, concerned.

Castiel sighed, again his body ached. “He found Dean and me kissing,” Castiel confessed. There was no point in hiding it anymore.

Gabriel looked at him with arched brows and made a silent ‘oh’. “And you kept telling me that he wasn’t a crush.”

“Because it wasn’t a crush, Gabriel. I love him. He loves me. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know you felt about me loving him.”

“Cassie, I don’t care who you love, as long as that person isn’t a douchebag or a monster like Father,” he said with a tender voice. Castiel made a tiny smile. His face hurt with that too. Everything hurt. “What has Father done to him?” he asked, scared.

“Nothing. I told Father that if he hurt Dean, I would tell everyone that he saw us kissing. So, he let him go,” he explained. He still was shaken by the image of his Father strangling Dean. “Keeping the Novak name clean is really important to him, so I reminded him that, hoping that Dean would be safe.”

“Good job,” Gabriel said, sighing. “At least he’s alive, but you know you won’t be able to see him again, right?”

“Yes, I know,” he said with a breathy voice. His tears came back and he closed his eyes, trying to hold his sobs. He took some long, deep breaths, hurting himself with each of them, but he needed to calm himself, because he needed to ask for something important. “Gabriel, I need you to do me a favor.”

“Whatever you need, baby bro.”

“I need writing material. I have to write a letter to Dean, explaining him the situation and saying goodbye to him, properly, and I need you to sneak that letter into the mail for me. Can you do it?”

“Yes. I will be right back, Cassie.” He gave his little brother a soft squeeze on his shoulder and left the room.

It wasn’t going to be a proper goodbye, but Dean deserved something. The way things ended up wasn’t nice and Castiel needed to tell Dean a proper goodbye. He knew that Dean was aware that things in between them had finished, like they had always feared, but Castiel needed to tell Dean goodbye, even if it was in the shape of a letter.

Gabriel didn’t take too much time and he sneaked into the room everything Castiel needed. He wrote that letter; it was hard, because his whole body hurt and holding the pen was a hard task, but he forced himself to do it. He cried as he wrote, remembering all the wonderful memories he and Dean shared and that they weren’t going to live again. When he finished, he handed Gabriel the letter, already inside an envelope and Gabriel left the room.

Nobody else came into the bedroom for the rest of the night. Castiel found it hard to sleep, his emotional and physical pain made it almost impossible, but his eyelids finally gave up and he managed to get a couple of hours of sleep, until his Father burst in the room and woke up Castiel, announcing him that it was time to leave.

They didn’t have breakfast. They went directly to the carriage and left Esomal. Castiel felt his heart breaking as the carriage kept moving. In the pocket of his pants he had hidden the feather Dean made him. The last remain of what they had. He held it tightly, not wanting to let it go.

It was the time when Dean usually grabbed his art stuff and went to the woods, but he didn’t want to go. He knew that Cas wasn’t going to be there. The Duke was going to make sure of it. He hadn’t met him until the previous afternoon, when he saw Dean and Castiel kissing and tried to kill Dean by strangling him, but he knew a lot of things about that man that Castiel had told him, and he knew that he was never going to see Cas.

Dean wondered how a terrible man like the Duke could be the father of someone as wonderful as Cas. John wasn’t a good father either, and Dean and Sam seemed to have grown quite well, although they should thank that to Uncle Bobby.

Dean was devastated. He had always feared that someone would discover them and pull them apart, but he always expected it to happen later rather than sooner. He loved Cas so much and he couldn’t believe that things ended up the way they did. He wanted to fight everyone to have Cas, but he was a teenager, surrounded by ten strong man and the Duke, who would have killed him if Cas hadn’t said what he said. He wondered how Cas was. He also knew about the Duke’s beatings and he was terrified of knowing what Cas had to go through. Dean still felt the ghost of the Duke’s hands on his neck, trying to suffocate him.

“Dean,” Sam said, coming to the kitchen. His little brother knew about what happened, and he tried to help Dean as much as he could and be supportive. Dean appreciated his brother’s sympathy, but unfortunately, there was nothing to do. “You have a letter.”

“A letter?” Dean asked confused. “From who?”

“From someone named Emmanuel,” Sam read with a grimace.

“Emman—” he began to said, and then he realized that was the pseudonym Cas wanted to use as a writer. “Gimme!” he exclaimed as he took the letter from Sam’s hands. “It’s from Cas.”

Dean opened the letter with shaky hands and he sat on one of the kitchen’s stools and began to read.

 

_Dear Dean,_

_I really hope this letter gets to you. I asked my brother Gabe to get it in the mail for me. He is really sneaky when it comes to these things, so my expectative of you getting to read this letter are really high. I’m writing you to explain you how things developed the way they developed and to say goodbye._

_Father decided to come to town as a surprise visit to see if everything was being correct and in order. He didn’t announce his incoming arrival with a letter like he always did, that’s why no one at the house had any idea that he was coming. Everybody was surprised to find him here without notice. He went to see Gabriel first and my brother tried to protect me and avoid Father from getting into my room, but everything he did was useless and Father found the room empty. He beat Gabriel after that, hoping that my brother would reveal my whereabouts, but Gabriel didn’t say a word. Father then called his men and went to the woods and found us._

_I still can’t forget the image of Father trying to strangle you. I know what he is capable of doing, and I know that in that moment, you knew it too. Some people call him the Bloody Duke, you now can understand why. I threatened him to tell everyone about us, about our love if he hurt you; he is a proud man, and he would do anything to keep the Novak name clean, so I used that against him to keep you safe. It worked. I have never been more afraid of losing you than in that moment. I knew Father wanted to kill you and threatening him was the only way to keep you safe. It worked, although those threats encouraged him to beat me harder and for longer. Don’t worry about my physical injuries, I will heal. I always heal. What matters is that you are alive and safe._

_We are leaving town, first hour in the morning. By the time you will read this, I’m sure we will be far, far away. Father has promised me that we will never come back here for the rest of his life. He is a man of his word. He is also making sure that I will be constantly guarded, to avoid another thing like this. I’m afraid that I won’t be able to keep the promise I made you of coming back to you, Dean. I’m sorry._

_I’m sorry about how things ended up for both of us, I’m sorry of leaving you behind. Our worst fears became true and we can’t fix it. I’m afraid we won’t see each other ever again. I want to believe that maybe, someday, we will meet again, but that day is too far away. We aren’t coming back and I won’t be able to run away like I did every afternoon to meet you._

_It breaks my heart having to say goodbye, to know that I won’t be able to see you again, that I will no longer see yours eyes, greener than the grass, and the constellations of your freckles. I won’t be able to kiss you or to touch you, to tell you with words and gestures how much I love you, that I won’t be able to hear your beautiful voice or see the wonders you draw. I won’t be able to spend more time with you, and it hurts so much._

_I want you to know that you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and that I will treasure every moment we have lived and shared together. You gave me wings, Dean, you gave me freedom, and you gave me love.  
Take care of yourself, keep drawing, become the amazing artist you have to become, and keep being as extraordinary as you are. I love you._

_Goodbye,_

_Castiel._

 

When Dean finished reading, he realized he was crying. Tears were running down his face, getting colder as they reached his chin. He was also shaking and sobbing. It felt as it reality had punched him in the face, as hard as possible. He knew that he wouldn’t see Cas ever again, but it hurt reading those words from Cas.

“He’s not going to come back, right?” Sam asked, worried. He put a hand on his brother’s shoulder, trying to comfort him.

“No, he isn’t,” Dean said in between sobs. He folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. “I need to get some sleep, okay, Sammy?” He stood up and rubbed his face, but more tears kept appearing in his swollen eyes. “Call me when it’s dinner time.”

“I can make dinner, Dean.”

“Yeah, but let me— I need to make it.”

Sam nodded and gave Dean a sad look. “Okay.”

Dean nodded and went to his bedroom. He got in his bed and cried, feeling how his heart broke into million pieces. He wasn’t sure his heart was going to recover from it. He brought his hand to the pendant and held it tightly, hoping it would ease the pain of his heart, but it didn’t. Everything hurt and Dean kept crying.

He felt asleep with his own crying.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I'm back! I almost forgot to update this, I just remembered it, lol. Sorry for the long hiatus. Thank you so much for reading, for the comments, the bookmarks and the subscriptions :')
> 
> This chapter is completey Dean's POV, well 98% of it. Part of the next one will be, too. But don't worry, next chapter will have more of Castiel's POV than Dean's. I needed to use Dean's POV for this chapter.

_15 years later_

 

“Mister Winchester,” Meg said impressed. “You have made a wonderful job, again.”

“Thank you, Lady Masters,” Dean said, trying to sound polite. He didn’t like Meg Masters. She was presumptuous, proud, conceited and looked at everyone with airs of superiority, but that was the way most people of the high class behaved like, which was most of the people that paid for his paintings, so Dean had to bit his tongue, even if he wanted so badly to punch them all in their stupid faces. “I’m glad you like it.”

She kept looking at the oil painting of a landscape she ordered in admiration. At least the high class admired his skills, which was the only reason Dean stood them. “You have an amazing talent Mister Winchester. No wonder why you are becoming the best painter of the country.”

Dean bowed his face. “Thank you, again, Lady Masters.”

With her fingers, she ordered one of her servants to approach her and she gave him the painting. “Be careful, I don’t want anything happening to it,” she explained with a harsh voice, dedicating her servant a deadly glare. Dean wanted to punch her for being so impolite, but turned his hands into fists to contain himself. “Do you paint portraits, Mister Winchester?”

“Yes, I do.” Dean painted everything. He had become really skillful. He could paint with every possible material, but all his clients wanted oil paintings.

“Good. My fiancée loves art,” she began to explain. Dean wondered how somebody like Meg Masters could be engaged, but given all the people he knew from the noble class, he wasn’t truly surprised. “And I want to pay for a portrait of him as a gift. I’m sure he will love being painted by you, so we will come tomorrow morning so he can see your art and arrange everything. He is a busy man, so I don’t know when he will be able to pose.”

“I’m sure we’ll be able to arrange something.”

“Excellent. Good day, Mister Winchester.”

“Good day, Lady Masters.”

She left Dean’s house and Dean closed the door, sighing relieved. The bad part of being an artist was having to stand certain clients. Luckily, Dean only had to stand them when they ordered a painting and when they came back to pick it up because it was finished. Some of them came by to see how the painting was going, but there were few of them. Dean had some nice clients, but most of them were from the noble class, and almost all of them weren’t really nice, but they threated Dean quite well, because they admired him, but Dean could see how they all looked at him with superiority. He hated that.

The bad part came when he had to make portraits and he needed to have the person in front of him, posing, so he could make a portrait. He had a good memory, but portraits needed to be accurate and for that, he had to have the person in front of him; he couldn’t paint by memory, which involved having a person that didn’t really want to be there but wanted the painting and things could get boring or awkward, but Dean tried to stick to the portrait and concentrate on it.

He wondered how things would go with Meg’s fiancée. If a man was going to marry her, he had to be as annoying and as proud as she was.

Dean sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He looked at his studio. He had to paint a few other paintings, but he needed to eat something. It was almost lunch time and he always worked better if his stomach was full, so he walked to his kitchen and made a lunch that consisted on some scrambled eggs with sausages accompanied with some tomatoes he had cultivated in his orchard.

He lived in the outskirts of the capital, in a house he built with the help of Sam and Bobby. Dean didn’t want to live in the city like his brother Sam; he wanted to live close to nature, it inspired him with his paintings, and he liked the quietness of it. He wasn’t too far from the capital; it only took him a thirty minute walk to get to the capital, and yet, he had all the quietness and peace he needed.

Dean and Sam moved to the capital when Dean got accepted to study art and Sam got accepted to study law ten years ago. Sam became a successful lawyer and married to a nurse named Jessica while Dean became a successful artist. Bobby moved with them to the city while the Winchester boys studied, helping them with everything they needed, given that John had died years ago. Bobby retired back to Esomal when both Sam and Dean finished their studies and could live by themselves. Like Dean, Bobby didn’t like the crowded city, but Dean remained close to it because it was the best place to get clients. Everyone in the city who wanted a painting came to Dean, and all of them liked the fact that he was away from the city, because they didn’t have to run into people.

He had lunch and went back to painting a scene from the poem _The Lady of Shalott_. Sometimes, people asked him to paint scenes from poems or novels. Dean liked those because it gave freedom to his imagination.

Night came and it found Dean in his studio, with several gas lamps on. He preferred working during the day, because he liked the day light much more, it was more natural, but it he had inspiration during the night, he would keep working, until his wrist started aching and his stomach started complaining. When that happened, he made dinner. He could hear the sounds of crickets outside and the soft night breeze blowing in the trees. He had always loved the sounds of nature.

He went to sleep. He could paint for a little more, but his eyes were tired and they needed a rest. Painting with sore eyes was the worse he could do, so he went to bed. Besides, he should better be rested for Meg Masters and her fiancée’s visit. Dean could get grumpy if he didn’t sleep well, and that wasn’t good when it came to dealing with buyers.

Dean hadn’t begun painting when he heard the horses and a carriage approaching his home. As Meg promised, they were coming in the morning, but Dean wasn’t expecting them to arrive this early in the morning. He approached the door and waited in the hall. He saw the carriage stop in front of his house and Meg came out first. Dean couldn’t see her fiancée getting down, given that he used the other door. It seemed as if he was looking around while Meg was directly getting inside Dean’s house.

“Good morning, Mister Winchester,” she said with her superior voice.

“Good morning, Lady Masters,” Dean greeted, trying to hide his irritation. They drew away from the entrance and Dean was no longer able to see what happened outside, but Meg was looking out, and she seemed impatient.

“My fiancée loves nature way too much,” she said with a fake smile. Dean simply nodded. She moved her hand indicating her fiancée to hurry up. “Mister Winchester,” she began to say with a proud voice. “I would like to present you my future husband and future King of Arpret, Prince Castiel Novak.”

And then, Dean’s heart skipped a beat. Cas, his Cas, was in front of him, after so many years. He had grown up into a handsome and beautiful man, almost as tall as Dean, with broad shoulders and a muscular and strong body. But his eyes remained the same. They were as blue as they used to be, and they had that warmth that made Dean fell in love. He thought he wasn’t going to see those eyes ever again.

Castiel was looking at Dean in the same way Dean was looking at him, not fully believing that after all those long years, they met again. It had been so long, but they still remembered each other, they still could recognize each other despite of having grown so much.

Suddenly, Dean was well aware that Cas was going to marry Meg Masters, something he couldn’t understand, and he felt a puncture in his heart. After so many years, he hadn’t forgotten Castiel at all, and it hurt knowing that he was engaged. And he was also a Prince, the Prince, which confused Dean, because Cas was supposed to be a Duke. There was so much he wanted to ask him, so much he wanted to do but they couldn’t, not with Meg in front of them, and they had been looking at each other for too long, and they needed to pretend as if this was the first time they met.

“Your Highness,” Dean said, bowing his head.

“Mister Winchester,” Castiel said, with a really low voice that sounded so good. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” he added, and Dean was glad that Cas was following his lead.

“My pleasure,” he said.

“Shall we show him your studio with your paintings, Mister Winchester?” Meg asked with both eyebrows raised. She was quite impatient that morning.

“Of course, follow me.” He walked towards the studio, followed by Cas and Meg.

The moment they were inside the studio, Dean placed his eyes on Cas, loving the way his eyes and his face lightened up when he looked at his paintings. Castiel had always loved his art, and Dean had improved a lot since the last time Castiel had seen anything drawn by Dean. Castiel looked at each painting with a lot of emotion, being both touched and impressed by Dean’s paintings. Even his eyes were a bit glassy with emotion, and he looked at Dean, briefly, with a soft smile on his face.

“Mister Winchester, your paintings are beautiful and extraordinary,” Castiel said with a touched voice.

“Thank you, C— Your Highness,” Dean said.

“All the colors are breathtaking. You are really talented,” Castiel added, looking at Dean with that fond look of his. Dean had missed those soft glances.

“So, would you like him to paint you a portrait?” Meg asked, with a smirk.

“Absolutely,” Castiel answered looking at Dean. “We can start now.”

Dean looked at him with a smile, he was about to say something, but Meg spoke first. “Castiel, we have a meeting with—”

“We can cancel it.” He kept looking at Dean, who knew that Cas wanted to be alone with him so they could stop pretending to be two strangers and ask about everything they wanted to ask and talk for hours.

She gritted her teeth, annoyed. “No, Castiel, we can’t cancel it.”

Castiel groaned in frustration and looked at Meg with sharp eyes. “Fine. We will go.” He turned his face back to Dean to talk to him. “I will come tomorrow morning for posing for the portrait, if that’s okay with you, Mister Winchester.”

“Yeah, that’s more than okay, Your Highness,” Dean said.

Castiel nodded and gave Dean an apologetic look. “Good day, Mister Winchester.”

Dean bowed his head. “Good day, Your Highness.”

“Let’s go,” Castiel said to Meg who looked at him with a frown, unsure of why her fiancée looked impatient and a bit angry right now, but she didn’t say anything, she just turned away and followed him.

Dean watched them leave and get into the carriage. The moment it left, Dean closed the door and pressed his back against it, breathing hard, trying to calm his restless heart. His feelings for Cas had never faded away, but seeing him again only made them come back with more intensity, and it was a bad thing; Cas was engaged and he was the Prince. But Dean couldn’t stop feeling the way he felt.

He grabbed the pendant that Cas gave him years ago and closed his eyes. This was going to be hard, but at the same time, it was so wonderful to see Cas again.

Meg was talking, but Castiel wasn’t paying attention to her. He tended to listen to her because he wanted to be polite, but most of the time, he wasn’t interested in what she said. He didn’t like her, but he had to marry her once the King died because their marriage was supposed to be a good alliance, but they didn’t have anything in common. Castiel tried to pay attention to her because he didn’t want to be rude, but at that moment, he wasn’t listening to her because he was hearing the beating of his own heart. It had been so long since he and Dean last saw and his heart was doing all those wild things it always did when he was around Dean.

Dean had become a beautiful man, part of his face changed, but he still had those beautiful freckles and those beautiful eyes. He was taller and stronger, and he was breathtaking. And he had become an artist. He was so happy about it. He wanted to ask him so many things, but he couldn’t because of Meg. But he would ask him the next day. He could wait for a little bit more.

His Dean, he found his Dean after so many long years. He wanted to smile, but he kept a straight face and touched his chest, right where the necklace of the feather that Dean made was hidden under his clothes, feeling what he used to feel every time he left that room to meet Dean in the forest.

As promised, Castiel arrived in the morning, as soon as the previous day. Dean waited for him in the hall and watched how Castiel got out from the carriage. Dean’s heart was beating fast, hammering against his chest. He was nervous, really nervous. He didn’t know what to do or say, given that they were no longer in the position they were when Cas was forced to leave, but Dean wanted so bad to be able to be like they used to.

“Come back in three hours, please,” Castiel said to the coachman, who nodded and left the place. Castiel approached Dean and got into the house, closing the door behind him, looking at Dean with a tender look. “Hello, Dean,” he said with a sweet voice.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean said with a sweet voice as well.

Castiel was the one who walked closer and they pulled into a tight hug. Dean let out a shaky breath as he felt Cas in his arms and holding him. Cas was no longer a thin kid, he was a thick man and Dean loved it way too much. “It’s been so long.”

“So fucking long.”

Castiel chuckled. “I forgot your terrible vocabulary.”

Dean laughed and pulled away to take a better look at Cas. “You’ve grown a lot. Like a fucking lot.”

Castiel chuckled and blushed. “So have you. I don’t like that you are an inch taller.”

“I think it’s a couple of inches,” he teased, laughing. Castiel rolled his eyes and glared him. “I’ve gotta ask you a million things.”

“Me, too.”

“How about we go to the studio and we talk while I begin with your portrait?”

“Of course,” Castiel said.

They walked towards the studio. Dean had already prepared a canvas, all his painting material and a chair where Castiel could sit in front of him. The first thing Dean did when both of them sat down was to grab a charcoal and he began to draw the sketch. “Okay, how’s that you are a Prince now?” Dean asked with a curious frown. “Weren’t you a Duke?”

Castiel chuckled. “Really? That’s the first question?”

“Yeah,” he said casually. He wanted to ask other things, mostly related with his feelings, but he knew he shouldn’t ask that. After all, Castiel was engaged.

“Well, the King had a son,” Castiel began to explain. “Michael. He went with my father a couple of years ago to America as a political trip, you know, trying to keep their allies and all those things, and on their way back to Arpret, the ship sunk down and both died.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, after what Father did, that was the nicest death he could have,” Castiel said with some anger in his voice.

“I was talking about your cousin,” Dean said with an obvious look.

“Oh, well, he wasn’t nice either.” He made a grimace and huffed. “So when they died, I became the heir to the throne because I was the next in the royal line.”

“But what about your brother Gabriel? He’s older than you.”

Castiel sighed and looked down. Even though Castiel was averting Dean’s eyes, Dean could see sadness in them. “Gabriel is dead, or that’s what Father said. One day he and Father went out and when Father came back home, he said that something happened to Gabriel in a river, I— I don’t know. Father was so mysterious about it, so I haven’t known if my brother is dead or alive or anything for almost ten years.”

“That fucking sucks. I’m sorry. I know how much you loved your brother.” He didn’t have the chance to meet Castiel’s brother, but Cas always talked so good about him, and he also kept their secret when he found out about the two of them, so he seemed to be a nice guy.

Castiel made a sad smile. “What about you? How did you become an artist?”

Dean chuckled; he knew Cas was going to ask him that. “Two years after you left, my father died from drinking too much alcohol, so Bobby took care of both me and Sammy, and he encouraged me to try to get into art school. Once Sam got admitted to study law, we moved to the capital and I got accepted in art school. I learnt a lot of things and when I finished, I built this house with my brother’s and Bobby’s help and I started to paint and sell my paintings, and in the last year I’ve become really popular.”

“I told you that you were going to be an artist someday,” Castiel said with a big grin.

Dean smiled. “Yeah, you did.” He had finished his sketch. Usually, he took more time, but he knew Cas’ face. His features had shaped into the ones from an adult, but Dean had drawn him so many times that it was easy to draw Cas again. He had spent so many sleepless nights thinking about Cas, wondering how his face had changed during those years, dreaming with those eyes, but nothing came close to the beautiful man that Castiel had become. “And how’s being a Prince like?” he asked as he grabbed his palette and a brush. He put some oil paint on the palette and began blending the different colors to acquire the one he was looking for.

“In the words of a good friend, a pain in the ass.”

Dean burst into laughter. That was something Dean used to say and he still said. But it was funny to hear Cas saying that. “You couldn’t have said it clearer.”

Castiel grinned. “How is being an artist? Is it like you expected?”

“Better,” Dean confessed with a shy smile. “I have a lot of buyers, although most of them are from the noble class and they aren’t really nice, except for a couple of them. That’s the only perk of this, having to deal with douchebags, but for the rest, I love it.” When he was a kid, he thought that he was going to be forced to work at his father’s workshop, that he would never be able to become an artist, but life turned out to be better in that aspect. “Did you become a writer?”

Castiel took a deep breath and looked at Dean’s eyes. “No. After we left Esomal, Father made sure to keep an eye on me, so I could barely do anything in secret, so I was forced to quit writing. I was barely alone, so I was unable to write.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

Castiel shrugged, casually. “I could have tried to write again, but my duties as a Prince barely left me with time or with energy to write.”

Dean gave him a calculative look. “Do you even want to be King?”

Castiel smiled. “This is the first time somebody asks me that.” He looked down, hiding his soft blush and his timid smile. “No, I don’t want to be King,” he answered, almost in a whisper, looking at Dean. “But if I abdicate, the next in line is Lucifer, a Duke who is desperate to be King, and Arpret can’t have him as a King. It would be a reign of terror. So, it’s my responsibility and duty to avoid such thing.”

“Yeah, but, you aren’t happy, are you?” He knew his friend. He knew that Cas never wanted to be part of anything that had to do with his family.

He took a deep breath. “No, but that doesn’t matter. It has never mattered and you know it. Everybody has planned my life because of my name and I have never had any right to say a word against it.”

“It shouldn’t be like that.”

Castiel smiled. “I wish there were more people that thought the same way you do, Dean.” He looked down at his dress pants and sighed. It made Dean sad to see how sadness had took over Cas. He used to be happy, with bright smiles, grins and laughter. Now Castiel’s smiles were timid and gloomy, but they still held honesty. “How’s that you live in the outskirts?”

“I’ve always liked nature,” Dean answered with an easy smile. He could sense that Cas didn’t want to talk too much about himself. “It helps with painting, y’know? Here there’s more light and quietness. I could live in the capital, next to where Sammy lives, but I’d rather live here. I’m in a quiet place and I’m not too far away from the capital, so it’s perfect.”

In that moment, Castiel’s smile seemed less gloomy. “I like it. It’s nice and really luminous.” He looked around, admiring the bright light that leaked through the huge windows. “You can’t’ imagine how glad I am that you finally became an artist.”

“Almost as glad as I am I guess,” Dean joked and it made Cas chuckle. Dean looked at him, paying attention to his eyes. They were still as bright as he remembered and bluer than the sea. His eyes were the only part of Castiel’s face that didn’t look sad. “You look sadder,” Dean finally said, with a worried grimace. “What happened?”

“Life.”

Dean nodded and kept painting. He wanted to ask about more things, but he didn’t want to make Cas sadder. Both of them had grown up, and in that process, things had changed for both of them. The innocence faded away and the crude reality made its way into them. Life had shaped them into the adults they had become. They were no longer the teenagers that spent their afternoons in the woods, sharing kisses and words of love, but part of it was still buried in there, at least for Dean.

Dean didn’t want to press Castiel with more questions, but there was one he wanted to ask, because he wanted to understand how and why. “So,” Dean began to say, testing the waters. “You are engaged. To Meg Masters.”

Castiel made a bitter chuckle. “Yes, I am. Apparently our marriage will be strategic, to keep some nobles happy. The King said so when he announced it to me.”

Dean hummed. Once again, Castiel hadn’t had a word on it. “And when are you getting married?”

“Two months after the King dies. Which probably will be before the end of the year,” Castiel explained. He sounded strange, almost irritated about the question. “He is quite sick and doctors say that he will probably not make it to the end of the year.”

“I didn’t know that,” Dean murmured with a pout.

“It isn’t public yet.” Castiel frowned after saying those words. “But some of the newspapers talked about the deterioration of his health, I thought you knew at least about that.”

“Yeah, but no offence, Cas, but I’ve never liked the royal family at all. But I made an exception with you.”

Castiel chuckled, brightly. It was close to the laughter Dean remembered and always loved. “That’s a nice compliment, Dean.” He looked him in that special way of his. “Still, at least you should have known that I was the Prince.”

“That’s one of the good things about living in the outskirts of the capital,” Dean answered, wiggling his eyebrows. “It’s like living in my own private world. But I’m more aware of everything related with the parliament, given that the King barely does anything with them nowadays. I’ve heard that the Prince was starting to take interest in the politics, but you’re quite discreet.” He looked at Castiel, who blushed and nodded. “But I didn’t know you were the Prince. Everybody refers to you as the Prince, not as Castiel the Prince, so,” he said, shrugging. “And you barely do public appearances as well. To be honest, I think I’ve only seen the King’s face once. No wonder why I didn’t know about you being the heir of the crown. You’re quite in the shadow.” He had finished applying the first layer; he barely paid too much effort of painting the first layer. It was the most boring one. The second layer was the one that took him more time and where he had to put all the details. “Well, I’ve gotta wait until the first layer dries so I can start painting the second layer.”

Castiel stood up to take a curious look and smiled. “I highly expect you to do better than this.”

Dean glared him. “It’s the first layer, you dumbass, it’s just a blurry thing. Once I begin with the second layer, it’ll be fucking awesome.”

“I know, I was only teasing you,” Castiel said with an obvious look. There he was; his old Cas. He moved around the studio and looked at one of the many paintings Dean was working on. “Your art is incredible, Dean. The drawings, the colors, the technique, everything is perfect.”

“I still see flaws,” Dean said.

“That’s because you have always been a perfectionist,” Castiel said, turning his face to give him a playful look.

Dean made a guilty pout. Castiel chuckled and kept looking at his paintings. Dean wanted to stand up and be close to Cas. He wanted to kiss him again, to hold him in his arms, to whisper the things he had never stopped feeling. He wanted to kiss every inch of his body, praising it with his mouth, he wanted to have their bodies close, feeling only skin against skin, to made love to him, like he had fantasized about in his loneliest nights.

He shook his head and felt his face blushing. It wasn’t the place or the time to think about that stuff. He needed to shut down his thoughts and his feelings and focus on other stuff. He couldn’t get a boner in front of Cas. What was he was thinking? He loved and desired Cas, but he couldn’t have him. Cas was engaged, homosexuality was still considered a crime, and Cas was Arpret’s Prince; they couldn’t be together, Dean knew it. But he wanted to have Cas again.

“You know,” Castiel began to say with a huff, breaking Dean’s train of thought. “I have seen the paintings you did to Meg, and you always sign them with D.W., but I never thought they meant Dean Winchester.”

Dean frowned. “What name did you think it was?”

“I don’t know,” Castiel answered, turning around to look at Dean. “Daniel Wade? Desmond Weber?”

“You have always been fucking terrible at making up names, Cas.”

Castiel laughed, softly, but it made Dean grin and it made his heart skip a beat. He had missed that beautiful sound so much. It didn’t sound sad or melancholic, it was happy. It was nice to see a glimpse of Cas’ happiness again.

“And didn’t she tell you about my name or anything?” Dean asked, confused, still smiling.

“No, she didn’t. Meg always referred to you as the best painter of Arpret.”

Dean made a surprised pout. Hearing Meg compliment someone was strange. He looked back at the painting and saw that part of it was already dry, so he could begin applying the second layer on the background.

“How long does it take you to finish your paintings?” Castiel asked as he walked back to sit on the empty chair.

“Depends on the size, my inspiration and what I have to paint,” Dean answered without taking his eyes from the canvas. “It can go from a couple of days from half a year.”

“And what is the best thing you have had painted?”

“You,” Dean said without thinking it twice. The moment the answer came out, he blushed quickly, aware of what he had said. He looked at Cas, wanting to apologize and he was surprised to find Cas blushing, as hard as he was, and making a surprised face.

“That’s a nice compliment, Dean.”

Dean rubbed his neck, nervously. “Yeah, I— yeah.” He chuckled and then he cleared his throat. “So, I’ve gotta ask,” he began to say, desperate to change the topic to stop feeling embarrassed. “What are the best books you’ve read during these years?”

Castiel smiled.

They started to talk about books while Dean painted. That eased things for both of them. It was like the talks they had back when they first met. The more they talked, the less sad Cas was. He even laughed a couple of times, and naturally, Dean’s heart melted with that sound, especially when he could see the crinkles on the corners of Cas’ eyes. He was beautiful when he laughed.

The carriage came back at the time Castiel had told him to come back. They said goodbye to each other, not before Cas told Dean that he would come back the next day so Dean could keep painting him. Then, Castiel left the house and walked towards the carriage and Dean watched him, feeling his heart shrink.

Once Castiel was out of his sight, he closed the door and held the pendant in his hand. His heart was aching, wanting to have Cas but knowing that it was impossible.

Castiel kept coming at the same hour to pose for the portrait and he always left at the same time. And Dean always felt the same when Cas was around. His heart ached with want, desperate to be back together, to have him completely. The more time they spent in the studio, the more Dean painted him, the stronger his feelings became. He knew that they never left, but he had managed to quiet them down for all those years, but they came back the moment Cas put a foot in his home, and they were stronger than they had ever been.

Things in between them remained as two friends who reunited after a long time. There was something unspoken in between them, but no one of them talked about that. Maybe because they were afraid or because it was forbidden, Dean wasn’t sure. Instead, they talked about the things they liked, the books they had read, the places they had been. Castiel tended to ask about Sam, and Dean, like the proud big brother he was, talked about him. They talked almost about everything, but they never talked about anything that could address their feelings and the past of these.

It hurt Dean, knowing that after a long time, after wishing for the day he and Cas would reunite again, that things weren’t like he wanted them to be. But truth be told, he wasn’t expecting to run into Castiel again, and both of them had to build their own life, although in Castiel’s case, his family forced him to build it following a pattern, but still, they had built their lives, without counting with each other, and that leaded them to the situation they had.

“Can I look at it?” Castiel asked. “I know it’s not finished, but—”

“Yeah, Cas, you can look at it,” Dean said, chuckling.

Castiel almost jumped from the chair and got next to Dean to look at the portrait. Dean had finished his face and was working on his hair. After that, he would have to work on the clothes, and then, the portrait would be done. He estimated that it would only take him about three more days. He was going faster than usually, but he was painting Cas after all. He knew that face, he dreamt with that face.

Dean looked at Cas, who had his mouth parted and his eyes were filled with wander. “What do you think?” Dean asked.

“So fucking awesome,” Castiel answered, dedicating Dean a beautiful grin.

Dean burst into laughter. “Thanks, Cas. That means a lot.” If a painting made Castiel swear, it had to be more than great.

Castiel laughed softly and went back to the chair. “I forgot about that happy smile you always make when I swear.”

Dean blushed and he almost dropped the brush, he tried to play it cool. “Shut up, Cas,” he mumbled, embarrassed. Castiel laughed and Dean kicked his leg. “Stop laughing at me.”

“Don’t kick me, you can’t kick a Prince,” he mocked.

“Of course I can, I just did it.”

Castiel laughed. “I can’t remember the last time I laughed this often in my adult life.” He leaned his temple on his knuckles and looked at Dean. “I forgot how good it felt.”

“Nobles aren’t famous for their sense of humor,” Dean said with a grimace.

“Tell me about it.” He huffed.

“Can you move your head to the left for a moment?” Dean asked. He needed to look at the way Cas’ hair curved on his neck. Castiel moved his head, but he moved it to his left instead of Dean’s left. “No,” Dean chuckled. He reached out and cupped Cas’ face, turning his head to Dean’s left. “My left, not yours,” he explained with a smile. He and Cas looked at each other for a moment, until Dean was well aware that he was cupping Cas’ face and pulled away, trying to ignore both of their blushes. He focused on the portrait and didn’t say anything; he simply swallowed hard. His hand still tingling with the feeling of Cas’ skin.

The sound of the carriage and its horses could be suddenly heard, approaching the house, and both Dean and Castiel turned to look through the windows. “Is the time to leave already?” Castiel asked, a bit devastated.

“I guess it is,” Dean said, also devastated, but he was a bit glad that the carriage decided to appear in that moment because it helped them to avoid an awkward moment. He looked at Cas, who was pouting. “Why don’t you tell him to come back later? You look like you wanna stay here for a little bit more. And you’re pouting.”

“I’m not pouting,” Castiel said defensive.

“Yeah, and your eyes aren’t blue,” he sassed. Castiel glared him. “Just tell him, Cas. If you wanna stay for a little bit longer, you can.”

Castiel nibbled his bottom lip, making a thoughtful face. “I could, but I should get back to the palace. I have to attend some issues.”

Dean sighed. “It’s your call, Cas. You decide.” Cas’ leaving time always came too soon for the two of them and Dean always wanted to have Cas for a little longer.

“How long until you finish painting my hair?” Castiel asked with a calculative look.

“About an hour, more or less.”

“Okay. I will be right back,” he said as he stood up. Dean frowned at him, but Castiel simply left the room. Dean waited in his studio and a couple of minutes later, Castiel appeared and the carriage left. Dean raised his eyebrows, asking a silent question. “You need me here to finish painting my hair,” Castiel explained casually.

Dean smirked. “Alright, Your Highness.”

“Please, don’t call me that. I hate it when you call me Highness.” He sounded really disgusted and hurt, which caught Dean’s attention and curiosity. “I want to be Cas, just Cas. At least with you.”

“Okay, Cas,” Dean said with a soft smile. “I will only use Your Highness when we aren’t alone. And maybe when I want to tease you.”

Castiel kicked his leg. “You are the worst, Dean.”

“Your Highness should work on his behavior.”

“Dean!” He exclaimed, frustrated, but he was making a cute smile that had Dean grinning. “Stop it,” he said, grinning.

Dean bowed his head. “As you like it, Your Highness.”

Castiel pressed his lips into a thin line, resisting the urge to smile, but he failed. “You are fucking terrible, Dean.”

Dean laughed, brightly, and Castiel joined his laughter soon. The studio echoed their happiness, and it felt really good to feel happy again. For a moment it was as if they were back in that forest. For a moment Dean felt good, and his heart didn’t ache as the two of them laughed. But then, he found himself making a nostalgic smile, remembering the touch of Castiel’s lips against his as they laughed.

The pain in his heart was never going to fade away.

As Dean predicted, he finished the portrait in three days. During those days, he and Cas kept doing what they did, talking and teasing each other, and Dean’s heart kept hurting with memories of what they used to have and they no longer had. He spent his nights trying to fall asleep, but it was hard when his mind and his heart couldn’t keep quiet. He loved Cas so much. But they couldn’t love each other. Their statuses, their condition and the society didn’t let them. So Dean kept the secret locked in his heart, like he did during that year before he and Cas got together.

Dean grabbed the thinnest brush and wrote a D.W. on the finished portrait and sighed happily and satisfied, looking at it. It truly was one of his masterpieces, but that was because he had to paint the man he loved, and he put his heart and his soul in every brushstroke. Castiel was still sitting in front of him, looking at him with expectant eyes.

“Yeah, you can see it,” Dean said smiling. “It’s finally finished.”

Castiel grinned and stood up, as fast as he could, and stood next to Dean, who watched the way Castiel’s face expressed his admiration and wonder for the portrait. “Holy fuck, Dean,” Castiel said, and Dean chuckled. “It’s me, it’s me. You are so fucking extraordinary.” His voice was full of emotion and Dean had never been more proud and touched about one of his paintings.

“So, you like it?”

“I love it,” he answered, looking at Dean with fond eyes.

They looked at each other, intensely, like they used to do, but their eyes moved away the moment they heard the carriage approaching. Dean cleared his throat. “I’m glad you like it, Cas.”

They heard the carriage stopping and Meg appeared on the hall, walking towards the studio, and both Dean and Castiel acted like they were supposed to act. Dean hated doing that. “Castiel, Mister Winchester,” Meg greeted, walking inside the studio as if she owned it. Dean fought against the urge to roll his eyes. She walked towards them and stared at the portrait. “Wow,” she said, impressed. “Mister Winchester, I think you just painted your masterpiece.”

“Thank you, Lady Masters,” Dean said. Castiel gave him a knowing look, clearly aware of Dean’s fake polite voice.

“And the eyes, they are Castiel’s eyes,” she said, looking from the painting to Castiel’s eyes. “His eyes are exactly like this.”

 _I know_ , Dean thought to himself, _I’ve dreamt with those eyes. I’ve loved those eyes since the first time I saw them._

“Excellent work, Mister Winchester,” Meg said as she grabbed her purse and grabbed one thousand pounds and Dean grabbed them.

“Thank you, Lady Masters.” He stood up and walked to the place where he saved all his money.

“Are you happy with your portrait, Castiel?”

“Very much,” Castiel answered with a distant voice. “Mister Winchester is without a doubt the best artist of our time.”

“Thank you for your kind words, Your Highness,” Dean said, not missing the tiny annoying smile Castiel made with the last two words.

“I’m going to get this in the carriage, get ready to leave,” Meg told Castiel before grabbing the painting.

Castiel and Dean watched her leave, and then, Castiel turned around to look at Dean. “Well,” Castiel said with a soft voice. His voice and his face softened, as if he took off an invisible mask.

“Well,” Dean repeated, not knowing what to say.

“You should come to the palace one day, to have dinner,” Castiel suggested.

Dean didn’t want to go to the palace and have dinner. Getting to see Cas with Meg was something he really didn’t want to see; he couldn’t stand it. If it was already hard to know that Cas was someone else’s, seeing it would hurt even more. “Thanks, Cas, but I don’t think it would be a good idea.”

Castiel frowned. “Why not? You wouldn’t be with any other people of the nobility.”

“No, it’s not that.” He didn’t want to say it. He didn’t want to reveal that he didn’t want to go to palace because it would do no good to his already aching heart. He would suffer seeing Cas being with someone else and having to act like they were supposed to act, marking the differences in their statuses.

“Then, what is it?” Castiel asked, almost hurt. Dean sighed. He didn’t want to say it. “Why don’t you want to come?”

“Just— because,” he said, vaguely, looking at his friend with an obvious glare.

Castiel’s frown only deepened. “That’s not an answer. Could you be more specific?”

Dean groaned. “Because it’ll be uncomfortable.”

“Uncomfortable?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t fully understand. You will be uncomfortable with me?”

“No, but—” He took a deep breath and shuffled his feet. “Kind of.”

“How about you tell me why exactly you don’t want to go instead of giving me vague answers?” He was starting to be irritated and to get tired of Dean’s answers.

“Because I can’t, Cas, alright? I can’t go,” Dean muttered, exasperated.

“Why not?” Castiel inquired again, this time more irritated and a bit angry.

“Because I’m still in love with you!” he finally confessed, both angry and frustrated. He saw Castiel’s surprised eyes as they remained in silence. Dean took a deep breath. He said it, he finally said it and he hated himself for it, but he knew that he couldn’t lie to Cas after all this time. “It should be better if we only saw each other for paintings, you know, just business,” he explained, still keeping eye contact.

Castiel had his lips parted and his eyes were glassy. There was hurt in them and Dean hated it. “Dean,” Castiel murmured with a heartbreaking voice.

“Castiel!” Meg yelled from outside. “We are going to be late for lunch!”

Castiel made a grimace and he was about to speak, but Dean spoke first, “You should go, Your Highness.” And he bowed his head.

Dean could see how Castiel looked at him with hurt but immediately put a straight face. “Alright, Mister Winchester.” His voice came out distant, almost harsh.

Castiel turned around and left the house and Dean watched him. He closed the door before Castiel got into the carriage and waited until he wasn’t able to hear the horses and the wheels of the carriage to cry. It had been so long since he last cried for Castiel. He hated himself for telling Cas what he told him, but it was better to keep things the way they should. Dean didn’t want to suffer again.

He took a deep breath and wiped off the tears from his face. His eyes were sore and his heart hurt. He looked at his studio; he should paint, but he wasn’t in the mood for it, so he went to the back of the house and sat on the porch of the backyard and looked at his tiny garden and at his orchard, feeling how his eyes got glassier. He didn’t want to cry again. He was tired of crying. Crying didn’t fix anything.

The morning went and with it the afternoon came, and Dean was still sitting on the porch, until dinner time arrived and his stomach complained, so he went back inside and prepared himself his dinner. He ate alone, in the silence of his house, like he always did. He kept telling himself that he did what he had to do, because that way, it would hurt less, but it still hurt. It was better to burn himself quickly than slowly, feeling how he slowly died with every day that passed.

After dinner, he sat on one of the kitchen chairs and he grabbed a piece of paper and a charcoal and he drew sketches of different things. That always helped to keep his mind at ease. He drew slowly, without energy. He tried to draw, but everything he did was terrible and he didn’t felt like it, so he left his drawing material aside and sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.

Suddenly, there was a knocking on the back door. Dean pulled his hands away from his face and looked at the door, confused. It was late for visits, and if he had a visit, that person would have knocked the front door. Maybe he imagined said knocking, but the knocking repeated, so Dean stood up and walked towards the back door and opened it, frowning confused when he saw who was knocking.

“Cas, what are you doing here?” Dean asked, bewildered.

Castiel looked at him with desperation. He didn’t say a word. He got inside, closed the door behind him, cupped Dean’s face and kissed him.

Dean startled at first, but he was immediately kissing Castiel back, placing his hands on the small of his back. It had been so long since they last kissed, but it felt better than what Dean remembered. Castiel’s lips were soft and his mouth was warm, the feeling of his body pressed against his was maddening and their hands on each other felt awesome.

Castiel pulled away, just a few inches and looked at Dean’s eyes. “I’m still in love with you, too,” Castiel murmured, caressing Dean’s face.

“Fuck,” Dean said with a broken voice before leaning in and kissing Cas, desperately.

Their kiss was desperate, full of emotions. It felt as if they were kissing for all those wasted years they were separated and they couldn’t kiss. Castiel held Dean close, almost as if he was afraid of losing him if he pulled his hands away; Dean felt the same. He ran his hands on Cas’ body, tracing up his back, feeling the amazing shapes of his body, until he reached his hair and ran them desperately, loving the softness of it. Castiel moved his hands from Dean’s face to his chest, his fingers digging in Dean’s shirt, desperate to feel more as their kiss deepened, making the two of the moan.

Dean pulled away, just a few inches, their lips were brushing and they could feel each other’s pants. He looked at Cas and cupped his face, staring at those beautiful eyes that always drove him insane. Cas was there, with him, it wasn’t a dream, they were there and Castiel still loved him.

They kissed again, as desperate as before but with more passion. The kiss became hotter, and Dean felt his knees turning into jelly. It was so good. He deepened the kiss, satisfied and glad when he felt Cas’ moan. He rubbed his crotch against Castiel’s as they kissed, feeling that Cas was as hard as Dean was. They needed to get rid of their clothes.

“Come with me,” Dean whispered as he grabbed Castiel’s wrist.

Castiel nodded before Dean pulled him. They run upstairs until they reached Dean’s bedroom. All the gas lamps were illuminating the room, painting the darkness of it in shades of orange and yellow. Dean pulled Cas closer, placing one of his hands on Cas’ jaw, feeling his stubble on his palm, while his other rested on Cas’ hip. They were breathing hard, filled with anticipation and arousal. Castiel looked at him and placed his hands on Dean, one on Dean's jaw and the other on his hip, mirroring him, and then, Castiel removed the inches that separated them and kissed Dean.

Their bodies were pressed together as they kissed, passionately, but their clothes were still in between them and they had to be gone, so Dean began to take off Castiel’s waistcoat, without pulling away from the breathtaking kiss. Dean’s hands were steady but eager, and he took off the waistcoat quickly. Then, he started to unbutton Cas’ shirt with Cas’ help and soon the shirt met the floor.

As Castiel started to work on unbuttoning Dean’s shirt, Dean caressed Cas’ chest, feeling its warmth, the wonderful shapes of his muscles. When his fingers brushed Castiel’s nipples, Castiel moaned and pulled from the kiss. Dean smirked and caressed his nipples again, earning him a sweet moan from Cas. He looked at his chest and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the necklace he made for him. He grabbed it and looked at it and he looked at Cas, who stared at him with love and devotion in his eyes. Dean couldn’t help making a touched smile and he unbuttoned the top bottoms of his shirt, taking it off and revealing his own necklace. Castiel gasped and touched it, looking at it at then at Dean, who stared at Cas with all his love. Castiel smiled and cupped Dean’s face before kissing him.

They kept kissing and they kept taking each other’s clothes. When they were only wearing their underwear, Dean guided them to the bed, without breaking the kiss. They fell onto the bed easily, Castiel being the one with his back pressed against the mattress and with Dean on top of him. They kept kissing, tracing each other’s bodies with restless hands. There was too much to touch.

Finally, they removed each other’s underwear and looked at their bodies when they were completely naked. Cas had a beautiful body, strong, thick and tanned, and his cock was long and thick, completely hard and swollen with arousal. They kissed again, after contemplating their bodies. Dean rocked his hips, making sure that their cocks rubbed together. It was an amazing feeling to feel Cas’ hardness touching his, and given the moan Castiel made, he enjoyed it too.

Dean wanted to praise Castiel’s body with his mouth, but he was so eager and both of them were painfully hard that he knew that they needed to go straight to the point. Still, Dean took some time to kiss Cas’ neck, nibbling his earlobe and swirling his tongue.  
“Dean—” Castiel moaned, digging his fingers in Dean’s scalp and lifting his hips.

Dean traced part of Castiel’s chest with his mouth, paying attention to his nipples. Castiel seemed to enjoy that so much, moaning Dean’s name loudly as Dean nibbled and licked his nipple. Castiel tightened his grip on Dean’s hair, pushing his mouth closer. When Dean finished with one nipple, he went to the other, and after it, he kissed Cas and he started to look for the lube he kept in the bedside table’s drawer. It was made of special oils and he always used it for masturbation.

He pulled from the kiss and he applied the lube on his fingers, while Cas watched him. He was breathing hard and his lips and cock were swollen; he looked so beautiful. He never took off his eyes from Dean as he applied the lube to his cock, watching the motion with hungry eyes. Dean leaned onto him and kissed him when he was done, and he pressed a finger inside Castiel, who moaned pleased.

Dean added one finger at a time until he had four fingers in, loosening Cas, who moaned sweetly with every stretch and every brush on that sweet spot. Cas was soon ready and Dean pulled his hand away, grabbing Cas’ legs to place them around his hips. Castiel did it immediately, holding him tightly and pulling Dean down for a kiss, placing his hands on his back, moving them restlessly.

Dean aligned himself and felt how Cas’ hole gave up easily and he started to get inside him, both of them letting out a loud moan as Dean got further. Cas was really tight and warm and it felt so fucking good. When Dean was fully inside, both of them let out a breath that they weren’t aware they were holding.

As Castiel adjusted to Dean, he cupped his face and looked at him, in that intense way he had always looked at Dean, and they kissed, and that’s when Dean started to move inside Castiel and both of them began to see stars.

Although Dean’s thrusts were eager and desperate, almost hard, they were sweet and passionate. Even Cas’ roll of hips were the same. Both of them had wanted for so long to have this that they couldn’t control themselves. It felt as if their bodies were moving on their own.

Dean changed the angle a little and he hit that sweet spot, making Cas lift his hips and clench around him really tight. “Fuck, Cas—” Dean moaned, pressing his forehead against Cas’, increasing the speed of his thrusts. He hit that spot again, and Cas clenched again. “Cas— Cas— Fuck, Cas.”

“Dean— Dean— oh, Dean,” Castiel moaned, rolling his hips in a maddening way and moving his hands on Dean’s back, tracing it up and down.

They shared another desperate and passionate kiss, until they had to moan. Dean closed his eyes and kept moaning, increasing his speed a little bit more, aiming for that spot again, earning him another wonderful moan from Cas and that maddening tightness and warmth. Castiel rolled his hips, grinding onto Dean, desperate to feel Dean’s cock hitting that spot.

“Dean, I’m going to come,” Castiel moaned, tilting up his head, pressing the back of it against the pillow.

“I’ve got you, Cas,” Dean moaned.

It only took a couple of thrusts and Castiel came, painting both of their bellies. Dean came seconds after, not stopping his thrusts until they both were done with their releases. He collapsed onto Cas, burying his face in the curve of Cas’ neck, breathing hard, feeling how Cas’ pants caressed his hair. Cas slid his legs from Dean and held him tighter in his arms. They didn’t say a word for a while; they were running out of breath and they needed to recover it.

Once their breaths were back, they looked at each other with a happy and satisfied smile and they kissed, this time sweetly and tenderly. It had been too long since they had felt like this. When they pulled away, Castiel sighed contently and caressed Dean’s hair.

“I love you,” Castiel said.

Dean couldn’t help grinning. “I love you, too.” He leaned and kissed him briefly. He pulled away from Cas, who groaned at the sudden emptiness he felt and Dean kissed him again. “I’m gonna grab some cloth to clean our messes, okay?”

“Okay,” he whispered, caressing Dean’s arm.

Dean left the bed and walked to the bathroom, which was in front of his bedroom, and grabbed a cloth and drenched it with water. He walked back to the bedroom, where Cas was still lying on his bed, all naked, covered in come, and Dean couldn’t help smirking, which made Castiel blush, grin and roll his eyes. Dean chuckled and he knelt in between Cas’ legs and began to wipe him off, carefully.

“This was really nice,” Castiel confessed as he watched Dean clean him. “Awesome, as you would say.”

Dean couldn’t help chuckling. “Yeah, it was fucking awesome.” He carefully cleaned Cas’ hole, making sure of not leaving any come inside him. It made Castiel purr, and once again, Dean chuckled.

“Everything I did— was it correct?” Castiel asked, shyly.

“More than correct, Cas. I don’t know if you noticed, but I came in you,” he sassed, and Castiel glared him. “Wait,” Dean said with a frown and he studied Castiel’s face. “You’ve never—?”

“This was my first time ever,” he confessed. He sat on the bed and took the cloth from Dean’s hand. Castiel was already cleaned, but Dean still had come on him and Castiel wanted to clean him, so he made Dean lie onto the bed and he began to clean him. “Why? Have you been with other men?”

“With men and women,” Dean began to say. Castiel gave him a curious look. “I enjoy both. But it’s been years since I last had sex with anyone.” He looked at Castiel who just finished cleaning him and was leaving the cloth on the bedside table. “They weren’t you.” He had tried to forget Cas by sleeping with strangers, but he always ended up picturing Cas.

Castiel smiled and lied next to Dean, pressing his chest against Dean’s side and resting his arm on Dean’s chest. Dean got his arm around Castiel, resting his hand on his bicep and pulling him closer. “I thought I would never get to see you again,” he began to say with a low voice. Since they met again, Dean had noticed that Castiel’s voice was lower and deeper, and he found it really attractive. “And much less to be like this with you.” He looked at Dean and both made a tiny smile. Castiel sighed and nuzzled Dean’s neck before pressing a kiss there. “I went back to Esomal, looking for you.”

Dean looked at him. “When?”

“Five years ago. I was at home and I sent one servant to ask for where you were, but everyone said that the Winchester family had left the town a couple of years ago and they didn’t know where they went.”

Dean took a deep breath. “At that time we were already here, and Bobby was still here, too.”

Castiel hummed and kept caressing Dean’s chest, softly.

“I always wanted to look for you in the capital,” Dean started to tell. His hand was caressing Cas’ arm, tracing the strong lines of Castiel’s bicep. “But the capital is so fucking huge and I was afraid that if your father saw me—”

“I know. I’m sure that you have heard all the stories that were told about his blood thirst.”

“Yeah, I have.” There were rumors, and none of them were pretty. Castiel’s father was known for being bloody and angry, and although they were only rumors, Dean knew that they were true. “I was scared. And I also didn’t know if you still remembered me or if you still felt something for me, so I just— y’know.” He looked at Cas’ eyes, which were full of sympathy and understanding. Dean forgot how Cas could read him easily. He grabbed the metal feather and looked at it, smiling. “I can’t believe you kept it.”

“Of course I kept it, Dean,” he said with a soft smile, but looking at him with an obvious stare. “It was the only thing left I had of you. I kept it with me all the time. Hiding it from everyone. I didn’t want to lose it.” He looked at the necklace and then he looked at Dean’s, grinning. “And you kept yours too.”

“Of fucking course that I kept it.” His words made Castiel chuckle.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Castiel asked, frowning. “Why didn’t you tell me that you still loved me when we saw each other again?”

Dean took a deep breath. “Because it was complicated, Cas. It had been years, and I wasn’t sure if you still felt anything, besides, you’re engaged to Meg, and I thought that you had some kind of feelings towards her.”

Castiel, pulled away a little so he could look at Dean and he made a frown. “Did you really think that I had feelings towards Meg? Seriously? Have you actually seen us together?”

“Yeah, but—” He had seen them together, and he suspected that Cas didn’t have feelings for her, but he wasn’t sure. “I don’t know, Cas, I just— you were engaged, and that meant that I couldn’t have you.”

“Dean, I don’t love her. I haven’t even kissed her. We don’t sleep in the same bed when she comes to the palace to spend some time. I don’t even hold her arm or anything.”

Dean was pleased by that. “You don’t?”

“Of course I don’t, Dean. She isn’t you. You are the only one I have ever loved, the one I will always love.” He caressed Dean’s face, giving him a stare full of love, and Dean felt how his face flushed. “We are only engaged because it is a marriage of convenience. She has tried and still tries to seduce me, and she always tries to buy me things in order to make me show interest for her, but I don’t and I won’t have any interest in her. I don’t have any kind of feelings towards her. I don’t love her, I don’t want to be intimate with her and I don’t want to have sex with her.”

“That must frustrate her a lot.”

Castiel sighed. “You don’t have any idea.”

Dean smiled and kissed Castiel. “Then, why didn’t you tell me anything either?”

“You were distant,” Castiel answered. “And I also didn’t know what I was supposed to do. It had been years…”

Dean chuckled. “We’ve always been a couple of idiots.”

“I prefer the term assbutt.”

Dean grinned widely. “It’s been years since I last heard that word.”

“Of course it has been years,” Castiel said with a serious frown. “I’m the only one who uses that word.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Always so literal…”

Castiel chuckled and kissed Dean. “You have always loved it.”

“Yeah,” he admitted with a smile, then he kissed him, slowly and sweetly. Castiel sighed happily and snuggled himself, pressing himself closer to Dean, who held him tighter. “What are we gonna do now?”

Castiel lifted his head to meet Dean’s eyes. “What do you mean?”

“With us. What are we gonna do?” He gave Cas a worried look, but Castiel was still confused. “You know that this,” he said, pointing at the two of them, “is forbidden.”

“I’m well aware of that, Dean,” Castiel said with a frustrated and irritated voice. “But if you haven’t noticed, we don’t care about that law.”

“No, I care,” Dean said with a serious, almost angry voice. Castiel squinted his eyes at Dean. “I’m tired of having to hide this.”

“Are you mad at me for that?”

“No, Cas, no.” He took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling so tired. “I’m tired of not having you. I’m tired of only getting to see you and to have you for a couple of hours every week. I just—” He sighed and turned his face to look at Cas. “I just want to have you, completely. I don’t want to be just your lover, y’know? I want to have you in my life, completely, not in tiny pieces.”

Castiel sighed and cupped Dean’s face, holding him delicately. “That’s what I want, Dean, but for now, we can only have tiny pieces.”

“Yeah, I know, but—”

“Do you wish us to stop seeing each other completely?”

“No. I’m not letting you go again. I lost you once. I’m not gonna let that happen again.”

“This morning you were willing to let me go,” Castiel reminded him with an arched brow.

Dean blushed and chuckled, guiltily. “That’s ‘cause I thought that you didn’t feel the same, you dick.”

Castiel chuckled. “Then, what do you want us to have? You know we have to hide this. If somebody finds out—”

“Eventually, somebody will find out, Cas, that’s the problem. Even if we’re discreet and we hide it perfectly, somebody will find out, and this time, it won’t be like the last time. I will be condemned to death. I’m fucking the Prince, not some other regular man, and you, given that you are a Prince, you’ll go to jail. We’re risking a lot here.”

“Dean, I know what will happen to both of us,” Castiel muttered. “Don’t you think I haven’t considered the risks? Do you think I don’t care about the fact that if somebody finds about us you will be executed?” There was hurt in his voice and in his eyes, and Dean hated it. “I love you, I love you more than anything, Dean, and it kills me knowing that having this with you could be your end.”

“ _Our_ end,” Dean corrected.

“Yes, but your end will be way worse than mine.”

Dean sighed. He looked at Cas’ eyes. “I know. It’s just that—” He took a deep breath. “No matter what, we’re fucked up.” He brought his hand to Castiel’s jaw and caressed his stubble. If they stopped seeing each other, they would hurt, but if they kept seeing each other, they were risking a lot. “I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose what we’ve got. Not after all these years.”

“I know,” Castiel whispered. “After all, I could keep my promise and I finally came back to you.”

Dean smiled, feeling how his eyes got glassy. “Yeah, you did.” He kissed him delicately, feeling the happy, little moans Cas made in the kiss. “We’re gonna keep seeing each other like this, aren’t we?” Dean asked with a tiny smirk. “You’re gonna sneak out of the palace to see me, just like you did when we were kids and we met in the woods, right?”

“I’m surprised you even have to ask that.”

Dean huffed. “Yeah.” He caressed Cas’ hair and kept looking at his eyes. Even if they knew they were risking a lot, they wanted to be together, no matter what. If only that law didn’t exist… Dean blinked and made a thoughtful grimace. “Wait,” Dean said. “You can change the laws.”

“Once I become King. While I’m a Prince, I can’t,” Castiel rectified, giving Dean a calculative look. “And if the King wants to change a law or create a new one, he needs to have the approval of the parliament, and the approval needs to be of a seventy percent of the members. And most of those members are quite religious and quite conservative.”

Dean groaned. “I know, but, there’s gotta be something you can do. Some kind of clause of article or whatever; something that can allow you to change a law without having to be approved by almost the whole parliament, right?”

Castiel took a deep breath and made a thoughtful grimace. “I’m not sure, but I will work on it,” he said with a determined voice. Dean looked at him, hopefully. “If there is any possibility to change the law so we can be together without risking our lives, I will find it. But I won’t be able to do anything until I become King.”

“I know, Cas, but at least it’s something.” He kissed him, happily. He knew that their chances were low, but if they had one possibility to change things, they had to seize it. “Hey, Sammy it’s a lawyer, and he knows the law perfectly, we could ask for his help.”

“Yes, the more help we can get, the better. Tell him to meet us in three days. That’s when I will be allowed to come here and see you again.”

“Okay,” he said.

Castiel pressed his forehead together. “I will try anything just to be with you. I promise,” he whispered before kissing Dean. “I will work as hard as I can and more.”

Dean shivered and kissed Castiel. “I know you will.”

Castiel kissed him again. “I’m afraid it’s my time to go back to the palace.”

“Yeah,” Dean mumbled. “Let me walk you outside.”

“Okay.”

They left the bed and got dressed. It didn’t take them too long. They went downstairs and walked towards the kitchen, where the back door was and they went outside. The night was chilly and Dean shivered at the low temperature.

“You came here on horseback?” Dean asked perplexed when he saw a horse, tethered to the branch of a willow.

Castiel arched his eyebrow. “How did you think I came here? On foot?” he asked, sassily, and Dean glared him, which made Castiel smile. “During night I tend to ride a horse outside the palace. I spend a couple of hours outside, taking a ride,” he explained as he caressed his red dun horse. “On horse, the palace and your house aren’t too far away and I could get here through the forest, without anyone seeing me, and besides, I needed an alibi to come here.”

Dean chuckled. “You’ve always been so fucking intelligent and so fucking cunning.”

Castiel blushed. “Thank you, Dean.” He approached him and placed his hands on Dean’s shoulders, kissing him slowly. Dean placed his hand on the small of Castiel’s back, pressing him closer as they shared a tender and passionate kiss. “I will see you in three nights. Don’t forget to tell your brother Sam to come here so he can help us.”

“I won’t forget it, I promise.” He leaned again and kissed him. “I love you.”

“I love you.” He pressed a brief kiss and pulled away, walking towards his horse. He untied the horse and the he got on it, easily and gracefully; it was obvious that Cas had been doing that for years. “I will start working on it tomorrow, first thing in the morning,” he said, and Dean nodded. “See you, Dean.”

“See you, Cas.”

Castiel smiled at Dean and he started to ride away from Dean’s house. Dean watched him and smiled. They couldn’t be fully together, they were forced to have a few hours and to keep it in secret, but they loved each other, they were back together, and they were going to work on something to make that stupid and nonsense law to disappear. Dean knew it would take time, but he could wait. He had waited fifteen years to have Cas again. He could wait a little bit more if it meant having Cas completely.

But for now, his heart was happy of having Cas again. It didn’t ache anymore because they still loved each other and they were together.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, for the kudos, the comments, the bookmarks and the subscriptions :')

“I still don’t know why I am here exactly,” Sam said as he gave his brother a confusing look. He was sitting in a kitchen chair, in front of Dean. It was quite late and Dean had told his brother to come to his house, without any explanation at all.

“You’ll know it the moment he comes,” Dean explained. His brother was going to ask who this man was, but Dean, knowing that his brother was going to ask that question for the millionth time, said, “You’ll know who he is, when he gets here.”

Sam sighed, frustrated. “I don’t like it when you get all mysterious.”

Dean rolled his eyes, but chuckled. “Trust me, once he’s here, you’ll understand all this secrecy.”

His little brother sighed, a bit frustrated. “Okay.”

Both of them startled when there was a knocking on the door. Dean stood up and walked towards the back door to open it, finding Cas. “Hey, Cas,” Dean said, grinning.

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel said, and he kissed Dean, sweetly, making Dean blush.

When Castiel pulled away, Dean turned to look at his brother, who had wide eyes and looked in between Castiel and Dean. “Sam, this is—”

“Castiel Novak, the Prince of Arpret,” Sam said with wide eyes, clearly shocked. Something in his eyes flinched, and he frowned. “Wait, is this the Cas you met when we lived in Esomal?”

“Yeah,” Dean answered. Castiel looked at the Winchester brothers in confusion. “I’ve never told you his last name of anything. You knew he was the Prince?”

“Of course I knew, Dean! If I had known sooner I would’ve told you he was here!”

Dean made a guilty grimace and Castiel arched his eyebrow. “He knew I was the Prince and you didn’t know it? Really?” Castiel asked sassily.

“Like I said, I don’t give a fuck about royalty, Cas,” Dean answered with a glare. Castiel gave him an obvious glare. “Except for you, but that’s different.”

Castiel rolled his eyes and walked towards Sam, who was standing. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Sam,” Castiel said, offering his hand.

“It’s my pleasure, Your Highness,” Sam said chuckling, clearly excited.

“Please, call me Cas, or Castiel. I prefer it.”

“Okay, Castiel.”

Dean couldn’t help looking at his brother with an arched brow. Sam looked so excited about meeting Castiel. “Alright, let’s sit down,” Dean said, and the three of them sat on a chair. Castiel decided to sit next to Dean. “The reason why we called you,” Dean began to explain to Sam. “It’s because we need help with something.”

“With what?” Sam asked with an intrigued frown.

“I want to change the law that condemns relationships in between men, or remove it,” Castiel began to explain.

“Women too, don’t forget it,” Dean said.

“The law only condemns to death relationships in between men,” Castiel explained and Dean frowned. “Relationships in between women aren’t allowed but they aren’t forbidden either. But women still have to hide it. By changing the law regarding relationships in between men, I will add that relationships in between women are accepted.”

“I didn’t know that,” Dean confessed, frowning.

“That’s because some of those laws are taken from the Bible,” Sam began to explain. “And relationships in between men are explicitly condemned in the Bible, they considered a sin, while relationships in between women aren’t even mentioned, because a lot of people think they don’t exist.”

Dean huffed. “It makes no sense.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Castiel said sighing. “I would like to change other laws, too, like the ones that forbid interracial relationships and the laws that forbid women from having the same rights as men, but the problem is that one, I am not the King yet and I can’t change anything, and two, I need a seventy percent of the parliament to support me in order to change, create or remove a law, and we need your help to find a clause that I can use to apply those laws, because a big part of the parliament is really conservative, and I know I won’t have the support, and it is crucial to change those laws.”

“Wow,” Sam said, impressed. “And I thought I was losing faith in the crown. It’s nice to have someone in the power that truly cares about the people.” His words made Castiel blush. “I would have to look into my law books to find some kind of clause or gap that can allow you to do that, but you will still need to have some support of the parliament, but if I’m not wrong, there are laws that can be changed with a fifty percent of the parliament. It’s still a lot of people, but—”

“It can ease things,” Castiel finished.

Sam nodded. “I will read all my law books, and I will go to the library. If you really want to change things, you have to follow the law. Don’t try to do anything before having studied each point.”

“I know. Thank you, Sam.”

“No, thank _you_ for caring for the people.”

Castiel blushed and Dean couldn’t help grinning.

“If you find something,” Dean said, giving him a knowing look. “Send it to me. It’ll be safer. The less people that know about this, the better. We need to keep this in secret.”

“Of course,” Sam said, nodding. “I will work on it as discretely as possible.”

“Thank you for your time and your help, Sam,” Castiel said with emotion.

“No problem.” He smiled. “So, you two are together again?”

“Yeah,” Dean said, placing his arm around Cas’ waist. Castiel smiled and rested his head on Dean’s shoulder. “But it’s a secret.”

“Yeah, I know,” his brother said with an obvious face. “How did you guys meet again after so many years?”

They told Sam everything, avoiding the sexual details, although Dean tried to tell Sam, just to mess with him, but Castiel punched his side, playfully, and glared him, which only made Dean laugh. Sam listened to them carefully, surprised about the events. He asked them a couple of questions, most of them related to Castiel and how he became a Prince, and Castiel answered him. The younger Winchester was just like Dean had always described to Castiel, and Castiel had immediately liked him. Sam was intelligent and nice. Castiel could see some similarity with Dean on the younger Winchester; after all, Dean was the one who had raised Sam.

By the time all Sam’s doubts and questions were answered, it was Sam’s time to leave. “I will start working on it tomorrow morning,” Sam said as he stood up. “And I will send Dean a letter whenever I find something.”

“We really appreciate your help, Sam,” Castiel said, smiling. They still had a lot of work to do, but Sam was going to be a great help.

“It’s an honor to be able to help you to change things, because we really need it.”

“Don’t be fawning, Sammy,” Dean said rolling his eyes.

“Jerk,” Sam said, glaring him.

“Bitch.”

Sam chuckled. “See you soon.”

“See you, Sam,” Dean and Castiel said.

The tall Winchester brother left the kitchen and walked towards the entrance. Castiel and Dean watched him leave and remained in silence until they heard the front door closing. “You still got time?” Dean asked, sneaking his hand under Castiel’s shirt and kissing his neck.

Castiel let out a soft moan. “I do,” he murmured. Dean always knew where he had to kiss him to drive him insane. His mouth was wonderful and his touch was addicting. “I believe you have something planned in mind.”

“Yeah,” he whispered into his ear before catching Castiel’s earlobe in between his teeth, and Castiel moaned. It was amazing how Dean could easily find spots that left Cas panting and shaking.

“Dean,” Castiel moaned, getting his hand under Dean’s shirt, feeling his wonderful warmth. “Can I— can I be on top tonight?” He wanted to feel Dean around him, to make him come with his cock inside him, just like Dean did a few nights ago. He wanted to know how it felt.

Dean pulled his mouth and looked at Cas. “Of course you can, Cas. You don’t even have to ask.” He kissed him briefly and he stood up, offering his hand. “C’mon, let’s go to the bedroom.”

Castiel smiled and took Dean’s hand. They went upstairs and got into Dean’s bedroom. Castiel fisted the front of Dean’s shirt and pulled him into a fervent kiss, making Dean moan and shiver before placing his hands on his hips, pressing him closer. Dean’s mouth was warmth and welcoming, and his tongue was skillful, swirling around Castiel’s, wanting to taste everything.

As they kissed, Castiel began to direct them towards the bed. When Dean felt the edge of it behind his calf, he sat down onto the mattress and Castiel kneeled on it, with Dean’s legs in between his, kissing him desperately as he unbuttoned Dean’s shirt, stroking the warm and soft skin of his chest, tracing it down with his fingers, memorizing his shapes.

Dean took off Castiel’s blazer and then he took off his waistcoat. “You wear too many layers,” Dean protested against Castiel’s mouth.

“Dress code,” Castiel said, closing his eyes as Dean brought his mouth to his nipple and began to lick. He moaned and tilted his head, running his hands on Dean’s short hair, restlessly. “Dean—” he moaned again, loving how the name sounded in his lips.  
Dean kept working his mouth and tongue on Castiel’s nipple, hardening it under his persistent tongue. Castiel had never thought he could be that sensitive in that part and much less that he would enjoy it, but Dean had that power; he could discover the parts of Castiel’s body that were more sensitive and use that knowledge to give him pleasure.

The green eyed man sneaked his hands under Castiel’s dress pants and squeezed his ass, making Castiel groan. He gripped Dean’s hair tightly and pulled his mouth away from his nipple and kissed him, eagerly. If Dean kept doing all those things, things would end up sooner than they wanted too. He pushed the two of them down, pressing Dean’s back onto the mattress and he began to kiss his neck, tracing it with his tongue, tasting the saltiness of his freckled skin. He got his lips and teeth around Dean’s earlobe, and Dean moaned, burying his fingers in Castiel’s dark hair.

Castiel then moved to Dean’s nipple and he licked it and nibbled it, earning him a loud moan from Dean, followed by a roll of his hips. His grip on Castiel’s hair became tighter and Castiel kept licking his lover’s nipple, feeling how it hardened, loving the way Dean moaned his name. He moved then to the other nipple and repeated the motion, using his free hands to trace down Dean’s sides, reaching his pants and taking them off.

Dean took off Castiel’s pants when the blue eyed man finished using his mouth on his nipples. He made sure of caressing the hard line of Castiel’s cock, hidden under his underwear, and Castiel hissed. Dean didn’t tease him anymore and took off his underwear. Once again Castiel hissed, but this time it was because of the chilly air that he felt around his cock, already hard and flushed.

“You’ve got a really nice cock, Cas,” Dean whispered into his ear as he fisted Castiel’s cock, stroking it, up and down, and Castiel found himself thrusting into Dean’s fist, desperate for the touch and the friction, moaning. “It’s so long and thick. And when it’s flushed and hard, it is even better.”

“Dean—” Castiel moaned, desperately. Dean’s touch was great. He changed the angle and tightened his fist and Castiel rolled his hips harder. “If you keep doing this I’m not going to—”

“I know,” Dean said, amused. He pulled his hand away and kissed the skin behind his earlobe. “I can’t resist it. There are so many things I want to do to you.”

Castiel pushed him down onto the mattress, making Dean chuckle. “And what about the things I want to do to you?” he asked, sharply, looking at Dean with lustful eyes as he took off his underwear. Dean smirked and lifted his hips, helping Castiel to remove them. He immediately got his hand around Dean’s cock and stroked him, making Dean moan. “Because there are a lot of things I want to do to you.”

“Cas—” Dean moaned, closing his eyes.

Castiel kept stroking Dean’s cock as he leaned onto him, kissing his neck and collarbone, feeling how Dean kept fucking into his fist. He stroked him a couple of times and pulled away his hand, looking for the lube Dean used a couple of nights ago. It was in the drawer of the bedside table and Castiel grabbed it and spread it on his hands and on his cock.

“I thought you’ve never had sex until me,” Dean said, arching his eyebrow as he watched Castiel stroking himself, spreading the lube. “But you use lube like a professional.”

“And I have never had sex until I had it with you,” Castiel affirmed, still stroking himself. He pulled his hand away and he leaned onto Dean, getting a finger inside his tight hole, making Dean moan, pleased. “But I’m a fast learner and I have masturbated thinking about you a couple of times.”

Dean smirked and kissed his lips, briefly. “Guess what? I always masturbated thinking about you.”

Castiel smiled and he kissed Dean again, deeply and sweetly, as he got another finger inside Dean. He kept working his fingers inside Dean, slowly loosening him. He ended up adding four fingers, touching Dean’s sweet spot a couple of times, earning him some wonderful moans that made him smirk.

When he felt Dean was ready, Castiel pulled his fingers, wiping them on the sheets and he positioned himself as Dean got his legs around Castiel’s waist. They shared a sweet kiss. Dean placed his hands on Castiel’s blades as Castiel’s placed his on Dean’s shoulders. He felt nervous. He had never fucked anyone, and he wasn’t sure if Dean was going to enjoy it. Dean had much more experience than Castiel, and Castiel didn’t want to disappoint him.

“You okay?” Dean asked, worried. He brought one of his hands to cup Castiel’s face, his thumb brushing his cheekbone. “You seem nervous.”

“I am a bit nervous,” Castiel confessed, embarrassed. Dean could always see him clearly. “What if you don’t like what I do?”

Dean made a soft smile. “Cas,” he said. His voice was filled with care and love, and it calmed Castiel. “I’m gonna love it, and you know why I know it? Because I’m doing this with you. And that’s all I want. Besides, in our previous night you did an awesome job, so I’m sure you’ll nail it again and you’re gonna make me come, harder than ever.”

Castiel chuckled. “You are an assbutt, Dean.”

“Always been.” He grinned and kissed him. “Now, less talk and more fuck.”

Castiel rolled his eyes but smiled. He lined himself and he started pressing the head of his cock inside Dean’s tight hole, moaning at the sensation. He got a bit further, feeling the muscle give in and he started to push inside, making the two of them moan. As he got in deeper, Dean’s tightness and warmth increased, and it was maddening. The feeling of Dean around him was marvelous.

He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding when he was fully inside Dean, and pressed their foreheads together, feeling Dean adjusting around himself. They had barely started and it already felt too much.

“Cas,” Dean mumbled with a raggedy breath. “Are you doing okay?” he asked, caressing Castiel’s hair.

“Yes,” Castiel answered, nodding. He opened his eyes and met Dean’s. “It’s just that it is really overwhelming.”

Dean smiled. “Feels good, huh?”

“Really good.” He started to move and he moaned, almost gutturally. “So good.”

He rolled his hips slowly at first, taking his time to feel, moaning at the feeling. He thrusted back inside Dean, a bit faster, and it felt even better. Dean moaned and dug his nails on Castiel’s blades, rolling his hips, grinding into Castiel.

Castiel started to move with steady thrusts, being more confident with every roll of his hips. That’s when Dean started to moan loudly, closing his eyes and parting his lips. Castiel tried to keep his eyes open, wanting to see the beautiful faces Dean made, and it was breathtaking to see Dean blissed out. He increased the speed of his thrusts, aiming for Dean’s sweet spot, and when his cock hit it, Dean clenched around him, tightly, and Castiel’s whole body trembled, almost collapsing onto Dean, who smirked.

Dean was tight and warm around him and it felt wonderful. Castiel kept fucking Dean, thrusting in and out of him, changing the angle to reach that sweet spot that made Dean moan and squirm under his body. Dean’s roll of hips was maddening, matching Castiel’s rhythm. Castiel found himself trembling above Dean, pressing his forehead against his, feeling how his lover’s hot breath caressed his face.

They shared a long and deep kiss, only broken by the urge to moan each other’s names. Castiel moved his hands, tracing up and down Dean’s sides, never stopping the roll of his hips, shaking when Dean’s tightness became too much. It was extraordinary to have Dean like this, to be joined to him in this way, being buried in his heat and tightness, not knowing where their bodies started and finished.

He kissed him again, his hips almost moving on their own, thrusting hard but sweetly into him, making the two of them moan when his cock hit Dean’s spot. He buried his face in Dean’s neck, breathing hard against it as he felt his orgasm building in his stomach. He kept fucking Dean, moaning his name over and over again, loving how Dean moaned Castiel’s name.

Only a couple of thrusts and a tight clench of Dean around him, and Castiel was coming hard, moaning Dean’s name in a broken moan, almost wailing. He kept rocking his hips as he filled Dean with his come. He felt Dean coming, painting their stomachs with his own release, moaning Castiel’s name loud and sweet.

Castiel collapsed onto Dean, feeling boneless. It was hard to move and to breath. Dean held him close. He was breathing as hard as Castiel was, his chest moving up and down with every breath he took. Castiel sighed and kissed Dean’s neck, feeling how Dean’s legs slid of his waist. They stayed like that for a while, until their racing hearts calmed down and their breathings went back to normal.

“Told you I was gonna come,” Dean mumbled, his smile being audible.

Castiel smiled and made an effort to move his face so he could kiss Dean’s lips. “So, did I do good?”

“You did awesome.” He grinned and kissed Castiel, sweetly. His hands cupped his face, delicately. “How are you feeling?”

“Boneless,” he answered, tiredly. He was really tired. His muscles didn’t feel like his own. “I don’t feel like moving.”

Dean chuckled. “Then, I’m gonna go and grab a cloth to clean us, but you’ve gotta pull away.”

He didn’t want to pull away from Dean. Castiel liked the feeling of being buried inside Dean, of feeling him around him, but Dean was going to start feeling sore if Castiel didn’t pull away, so he did a last effort and pulled away, grunting at it. Dean also grunted, clearly unpleased with the emptiness that was reaching him.

“Just lie in here, I’ll be back in a second,” Dean said, sweetly. He rolled Castiel to his side and kissed him before leaving the bed.

Castiel nodded and watched him, seeing his come coming out of Dean’s hole and part of it scattered on his rim. He smiled at that sight. He sighed, contently and sated. His body still didn’t feel like his, but there was a heartwarming feeling filling him, exactly like the one he felt when Dean fucked him. He was tired, but he felt great.

Dean came back with a cloth after a while; he had already cleaned himself from Castiel’s come and his own come on his stomach. He lied aside onto the bed and he started to clean Castiel’s body, moving the cloth tenderly on every part of his body. Castiel smiled and Dean did it too when he looked at his face.

When Dean was done cleaning him, he put the cloth away and Castiel rolled onto his side, pressing his chest against Dean’s side, getting his arm on Dean’s chest, slowly caressing it. Dean smiled and placed his arm around Castiel’s shoulders, pulling him closer, and he kissed his crown.

“I can’t understand why people consider something as wonderful as what we did a crime or a sin,” Castiel murmured into Dean’s skin.

“When people ignore or don’t understand something, they condemn it,” Dean said. His hands moved slowly up and down, caressing the warm skin of Castiel’s shoulder. “Ignorance is dangerous. And ignorant people prefer to condemn the things they don’t know or don’t understand instead of trying to learn about it. If something doesn’t fulfill their pattern, they simply consider it stupid, a crime or a sin.”

Castiel sighed, tiredly. He couldn’t agree more with Dean. “Hopefully things will change.”

Dean hummed. “Hey, Cas, there’s something I don’t fully understand.”

“And what’s that?” he asked, lifting his head to look at Dean.

“The King has a lot of power, but he can’t change, remove or create new laws, so what’s the King’s power when it comes to the legislative power?”

“The parliament is the one that can create, remove and change laws, but before that happens, the King needs to give his approval. If he doesn’t give his approval about a law, regardless of what the parliament intends to do, it won’t happen.” He pressed his elbow on the pillow, resting his cheek on his palm as he looked at Dean. “But the King can’t create, remove or change laws unless a seventy percent of the parliament supports it. It is done like this since the revolution in the 17th Century, to avoid a King to implant absolutism. Still, the King can decide the future of a law when there is a tie in the parliament, so the King has the last word.”

Dean hummed, making a thoughtful grimace. “So, the King has legislative power, but he needs to count with the parliament for almost anything, but in crucial aspects, his word is what counts.”

“Exactly,” Castiel said. “That’s why it is hard for a King to change the laws without the parliament. It is decreed that the King and the parliament share the legislative power. One can’t exist without the other. Laws affect the people, and the parliament is more aware of people’s needs than the King.”

“I wouldn’t say they’re aware,” Dean sassed, giving him a sarcastic look. “They pretend to. They only care about their interest. There are only a couple of parliamentarians that actually care about the people and want to change things. The rest of them only want to keep their position so they can keep their status.”

“I know,” Castiel said, sighing. He kept caressing Dean’s chest with his other hand, watching the motion. “But after all, people voted for them. They are in the parliament because the people voted for them.”

“Because they trick people and they make them believe that they’re actually going to change things, when they don’t. And those who actually care about people, are called radicals and revolutionaries, and they’re treated like scum.” He took a deep breath and looked away. “I truly hope you will change things when you become King.”

Castiel rested his head on the pillow and cupped Dean’s chin, turning his head so their eyes could meet. “I intend to change things, Dean, I’m already working on it, but it is complicated.”

“Yeah, I know.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, pressing his forehead with Castiel’s. “Why do we end up talking about politics after we have sex?”

Castiel chuckled. “Because like it or not, our lives and future depend on politics.”

Dean chuckled and opened his eyes. The dim light from the gas lamps in the room darkened Dean’s eyes, but they were still beautiful. “I bet everyone would find it scandalous that the Prince is sleeping with a man, who is also a radical.”

“I have always been a rebel,” Castiel said with a smile.

Dean laughed, its joyful sound echoing in the room, and then he kissed him, sweetly. When they pulled away, they looked at each other. Castiel brought his hand to Dean’s jaw, caressing it, feeling the stubble that wanted to grow on his face. He looked at his freckles. He had more than when they were kids.

“I’m still scared of losing you,” Castiel whispered.

Dean cupped his face and pressed their foreheads together. “You’ll never lose me, Cas. We’ll find each other, like we always do.”

They always kept choosing each other, finding each other, even if it took them years, but Castiel was still afraid of losing Dean. If somebody found out about them, Dean would be executed. He closed his eyes, suppressing the tears that wanted to fall from his eyes at the thought of Dean dying. He felt Dean kissing him, tenderly, and Castiel let himself get lost into the kiss. For now they were together, and that was what mattered.

“I love you,” Dean said, with a soft smile.

“I love you,” Castiel said, smiling, too.

Dean hugged him, bringing one of his hands to Castiel’s back while the other caressed his dark hair. Castiel buried his face in Dean’s neck and rested his hands on his freckled back. “We’ll figure this out, Cas. Don’t worry, we’ll find something.”

Castiel nodded and kissed Dean’s neck. He didn’t say anything. He closed his eyes and focused on the feeling of Dean holding him. He pressed his arms tighter around Dean. His time to go back to the palace was approaching, but he didn’t want to leave. He never wanted to leave Dean’s side. When he was with Dean, he could be himself, he could be Castiel, and he could be with the man he loved. There weren’t any façades; there were no masks, just them.

Eventually, Castiel pulled away, telling Dean that it was his time to go. Dean kissed him and nodded and they began to get dressed. They went downstairs and walked towards the kitchen, where the backyard door was. Castiel was about to kiss Dean, but Dean stopped him and grabbed something from a bowl.

“I want you to have this,” Dean said as he dropped a key onto Castiel’s palm. He looked at it with a frown. “It’s the key of this door,” Dean explained, pointing at the backyard door. “That way you can get in whenever you want to.”

Castiel smiled. “You don’t like me knocking on your door?”

“It’s not that.” Dean huffed and rolled his eyes. “I just want you to have it,” he added, shrugging one shoulder, casually.

“Thank you, Dean. I will keep it safe.” He put the key in his pocket and then he leaned and kissed Dean, sweetly. Dean got his hands on Castiel’s shoulders, pulling him closer as they shared their kiss. “I will try to come as soon as I can.”

“I know. Be careful.”

“I will.”

He opened the door and left the house, walking towards his horse. Dean remained in the porch, watching him. When Castiel was on the horse, he looked at Dean and waved his hand, and Dean did the same. He rode away from Dean’s house, going back to the palace, being hidden in the quietness and the secrecy of the night and the forest.

It was late, but Castiel was still buried in between books and decrees, trying to find a gap that would allow him to change the law that condemned homosexuality, but the more he read, the less hopeful it get. But he kept reading, paying a lot attention to every word he read, trying to find some ambiguity or some contradiction that he could use, but he found nothing.

His mahogany desk was practically covered with papers, and his eyesight was starting to get blurry. He rubbed his eyes, exhausted. He felt tired and frustrated. He had been locked in that room for almost two days and only came out to eat and to take a long bath, but he spent the rest of the day buried in books, trying to find a solution while he took care of some issues related with some noble families. The King, despite of being ill, could still take care of some of those issues, but he knew his time was running out and he wanted Castiel to deal with them, because he would have to do it completely quite soon. His uncle was putting more and more responsibilities on Castiel within each day.

Castiel lifted his eyes and looked at the portrait Dean made of him. He had hanged it on his study’s wall, in the one in front of his desk. He always looked at it when he felt tired and irritated. Seeing Dean’s paintings always calmed him. He should tell Dean to paint him something else, like a landscape.

He turned his face to the window and bit his lower lip. He wanted to see Dean. It was late, but it was the usual time they always saw each other, so Dean would still be awake. He looked down at his desk; he had finished with all the issues he had to take care of, so he could take a break. His mind couldn’t take more paperwork and he needed to clear his mind. And he wanted to see Dean.

Castiel gathered his things and left his study. He went downstairs to the stables, greeting Samandriel, a young adult who took care of the horses and who knew Castiel’s hobby for late horse rides, although the boy didn’t know the truth of Castiel’s whereabouts. Everyone in the palace knew about Castiel’s late horse rides and nobody questioned about it. Everyone found it acceptable. Compared to the King’s hobby of bringing tons of women and have orgies with them and smoking opium, Castiel’s hobby was a blessing for everyone working in the palace. The only complication that Castiel’s hobby brought to the servants was that the people working at the stables had to take a little bit more of care with his horse, but they weren’t bothered about it.

The night was chill and the breeze didn’t caress Castiel’s face gently, but he didn’t mind it. The night sky was covered with dark clouds, hiding the shining stars, but the moon could be seen, shining brightly, painting the forest in blue shades with white gleams. His horse rode as fast as he could, decelerating once Dean’s house could be seen in the distance.

Castiel got off his horse and tied it to the willow’s branch. He caressed the horse’s face, which made a pleased sound, and Castiel walked towards the house, getting the key Dean gave him two nights ago. There was still light inside the house; Castiel’s guesses about Dean being still awake were right.

He opened the door and got inside. “Dean?” he asked when he saw that the kitchen was empty.

“In the studio!” Dean exclaimed. Castiel walked towards the studio, finding Dean sitting on his chair painting. “Hey, Cas,” he greeted with a smile, turning his face towards him.

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel greeted, smiling, too. He walked towards Dean and grabbed a chair to sit next to him. “Why are you painting this late?” he asked before pressing a kiss onto his freckled cheek.

“Inspiration is a bitch, and when it comes, I’ve gotta seize the moment and paint immediately, even if have to paint without natural light.” He grimaced and kept giving brushstrokes to the brunette hair of a woman who was wearing a flower crown. There were other two women in the painting, one was blonde and the other was a ginger. They were wearing dresses that were made of silk. “Nymphs,” Dean said, answering Castiel’s silent question. “They asked me to paint three nymphs.”

“They are beautiful,” Castiel said, admiring Dean’s painting. It was unfinished, but it already looked beautiful.

“Do you wanna paint a part of it?” he asked with a playful grin.

Castiel frowned. “You can’t be serious.”

Dean grinned and put his brush on Castiel’s hand. Castiel looked at it with horror; Dean was being serious. Suddenly, Dean’s hand was grabbing his, guiding it towards the canvas, and Castiel felt how the bristles of the brush touched the canvas. Dean moved his hand with a firm grip and he kept painting the locks of brown hair, using Castiel’s hand. Castiel chuckled and watched the motion.

“You are insane,” Castiel said in between chuckles.

Dean grinned. “Maybe. But you’ve gotta admit that you’re enjoying this.”

It was true; he was loving how Dean was using his hand to paint. “Assbutt.” He pulled his hand away and handed Dean the brush and Dean rolled his eyes, but smiled. “I was thinking about paying you to paint me a landscape,” he said after a few seconds.

“You don’t have to pay me, Cas.”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” he said frowning. “You are going to spend your time painting something, it is your job, so I’m going to pay you.” He knew that Dean would paint him anything for free, but Castiel didn’t want him to spend days or even weeks doing something and not getting remuneration. Dean looked at him with a tiny glare and he was about to speak, but Castiel spoke first, “And don’t you dare to make me a special price,” he added with a warning glare.

Dean laughed. “Alright, alright, I will do as Your Highness pleases.”

Castiel grunted. “Stop calling me Your Highness.”

“Alright, Your Highness.”

“Dean!” he exclaimed frustrated and kicked him, which made Dean laugh brightly. Castiel wanted to stay mad at him, but he couldn’t; not when Dean laughed like that.

Dean leaned and kissed him fondly and Castiel made happy moans, cupping his lover’s face. “You’ve always been cute when you get mad at me.”

“You are terrible.”

“You even sound surprised about that,” he teased. He went back to painting and Castiel chuckled. “So, what kind of landscape do you want me to paint you?”

Castiel started to think about it; he hadn’t thought about what landscape he would like to have, but immediately, something came to his mind. “Do you remember the river where we used to swim together?”

“How can I forget that, Cas?”

Castiel smiled and blushed. “I want you to paint me that place.” That forest where they spent part of the spring and the whole summer was still one of Castiel’s favorite places, even though at the end, things went down, but apart from that event, the rest of the memories from that place were happy.

Dean grinned. “Okay. I will paint it.” He leaned and stole a brief kiss from his lips. His hand kept moving on the hair of the nymph, slowly adding more hairs, adding shades and sheens. “You look tired,” Dean said after a tiny silence. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, but I have been doing a lot of paperwork, taking care of some issues and I have been reading books about law,” he explained, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes. He was still tired, but he felt relaxed next to Dean. “My eyes are sore and my brain is about to explode.”

“You should take a rest.”

“I am now taking a rest,” he said, leaning his head on Dean’s shoulder. “I came here to see you. Just being with you calms me and eases me.”

“Still,” Dean whispered with a worried and sweet voice. “You should take another long rest or you’re gonna drain yourself.”

“It’s not that easy to take a rest in the position I am, Dean.” He always had to do something. There was always something to do, someone to attend and it was exhausting. The little free time he got, he used it to be with Dean. “And I have to find a way to change the law so we can stop hiding this. But for now I have found nothing.” He groaned, unpleased.

“Don’t talk about politics tonight, okay? Give your head a rest. I’m worried about you.”

Castiel made a tiny smile and he kissed Dean’s neck. “You have always worried too much about me.”

“Old habits die hard.”

The Prince chuckled and pulled away from Dean’s shoulder. “For now, the only thing that can work is that someone in the parliament comes up with the idea of changing the law, that way, it will only have to be accepted by the fifty percent of the parliament, because I will agree with it once I become King, but it’s still hard to get so many supports.”

“You could contact with some of the rebels in the parliament,” Dean suggested.

“I could, but they are still a minority. We would need to get more people and—”

Dean pressed his index finger on Castiel’s lips, shushing him. Castiel frowned and squinted his eyes, looking at Dean in bewilderment. “No politics tonight, Cas. Give your head a fucking rest, alright? If you don’t, I’m gonna stop painting and I’m gonna carry you to my bedroom to fuck you until you relax and stop overthinking.”

“You are tempting me to talk about more politics,” he said, chuckling.

Dean blushed slightly and chuckled. “If you want to, I can do it. Whatever you need, Cas.”

“I just want to be with you, Dean.” He sighed and rested his head on Dean’s shoulder again, getting his hand on the small of Dean’s back. “This is all I need.”

“Okay, Cas. Then, stay for as long as you want to.”

“If I could stay here for as long as I wanted to, I would never leave,” he whispered, softly. “But I can’t get what I want.” He took a deep breath and looked at Dean, painting; it always soothed him. “Sometimes I think about running away with you, finding a place in the middle of nowhere, a place safe for us, where we can be together. But if I disappear, they would look for me, and they will find me eventually, and I will lose you again.”

Dean took a long, deep breath. “Maybe one day we can have some peace and freedom. I still believe in it.”

“Sorry,” Castiel said, pulling away and rubbing his tired eyes. “I’m depressing us with my gloom talk.”

“Hey,” Dean said, grabbing Cas’ hand and moving it away. “You’re under too much pressure, and you’re trying to do everything you can so we can be together, and it isn’t easy, so if you need to vent yourself, I’m here, okay?”

Castiel smiled and kissed Dean, briefly, then he hugged him. “Thank you, for everything.”

“Shut up, Cas. You don’t have to thank me anything.” He embraced Castiel tightly, and Castiel smiled. “Do you want me to make you some tea?” he asked when he pulled away.

“What about your painting?”

“You are more important than the painting,” he said with an obvious look. Castiel felt his cheeks getting hotter with his blush. “C’mon,” he added, offering his hand to Castiel, who grabbed it and they walked towards the kitchen.

Dean grabbed everything he needed for the tea; a cup, the tea and a kettle, which he filled with water and put it on the stove. Then he moved to his right and he started to cut something that Castiel couldn’t see, given that Dean was showing his back to him, covering what he was cutting. When he turned around, Dean was handing him a plate with a slice of apple pie and a fork.

“Tell me your verdict, Your Highness,” Dean said with a smirk.

Castiel glared him and grabbed the place. He took a first bite and made a moan. “It is delicious,” he said, impressed. It was the best pie he had ever tasted. “Where did you get it?”

“I baked it,” he answered with a wide grin. Castiel looked at him incredulous. Apart from being an amazing artist, Dean was also an amazing cook. Dean laughed at him. “You look really surprised.”

“I didn’t know you were this good at cooking,” he said as he took another bite. “This is the best pie I have ever tasted, Dean.”

Dean smiled and he turned around to remove the kettle, which was sounding loudly. “Thanks, Cas.” He poured the steaming water into the cup, and Castiel could feel the smell of the tea getting into his nostrils. “I’m glad you like it.” He put the cup of tea on the table and they sat. He kept looking at Castiel with a wide grin as Castiel kept enjoying the dessert, making happy faces. “Do you want me to leave you alone with the pie? Because you’re practically looking like when we fuck.”

“Shut up, Dean,” he protested, glaring him. He took the last bite and pushed the plate aside, grabbing the cup to take a long sip. The tea was really good, too, but the pie was better. He let his hands rest on the cup, warming them up. “I like your house,” he said, taking a look around the kitchen. “It’s warm and cozy.” He looked at Dean, who smiled, and he looked out of the window, looking at the garden.

“The palace isn’t cozy?” Dean asked.

“No, not really.” He took another sip, feeling how the warm liquid warmed his throat. “You could take a visit someday. I know you don’t like it, but I’m sure you will like the paintings hanging on its walls.”

Dean made a half-smile. “Maybe when you’re King.”

Castiel smiled. He was going to become King. He had been preparing himself for it for almost a decade, but it still felt strange. He didn’t want to become King of Arpret, but he didn’t have a choice. That was the story of his life; following what other people told him to do, because he was expected to follow the path that the rest of the people had settled for him.

He looked at Dean and saw everything he wanted in his life. He would fight for Dean and for their future together. He was tired of not getting anything he wanted. Having Dean was everything he ever needed and wanted. Castiel wanted to be with Dean and be able to love him freely; he wasn’t asking too much.

“You’ve got that thoughtful and worried look on your eyes,” Dean said with a knowing look. Castiel chuckled and looked down at the almost empty cup, smiling to himself. Dean knew him too well. “You’re overthinking stuff again, aren’t you?”

“I can’t help it. There is too much going on in my head, Dean,” Castiel answered, honestly. He took the last sip of his tea. “I’m afraid I must part,” he added, sadly, as he stood up.

Dean stood up as well. “So you just came here to eat and drink tea, huh?”

Castiel frowned. “Of course not, Dean.”

Dean rolled his eyes and placed his hands on Castiel’s hips, drawing him closer. “Always so literal…” He chuckled and shook his head. “I was just teasing you, Cas.”

“Oh, I see.” He chuckled and rubbed his face embarrassed.

“You’re such a dumbass, Your Highness.”

“Stop calling me Your Highness!” he exclaimed, frustrated and angry, and he punched Dean’s chest, playfully, not wanting to hurt him. Dean burst into laughter and Castiel loved that sound. “Mister Winchester, I command you to stop calling me Your Highness.”

“And what if I don’t, Your Highness?” he asked with a mocking tone, gripping Castiel’s hips tightly and bringing their faces closer. “What would Your Highness do?”

“I will stop having sexual intercourse with you, Mister Winchester.” He made sure of looking at serious as possible, not wanting Dean to see that he was bluffing.

“Sexual intercourse? Is Your Highness so embarrassed of saying the word ‘fuck’?”

“Mister Winchester should watch out his vocabulary in my presence.”

Dean laughed and Castiel grinned. It was beautiful to see such happiness in Dean’s face. “So, Your Highness is implying that he could go without ‘sexual intercourse’ with me?” He imitated Castiel’s voice when he said ‘sexual intercourse’ and Castiel had to press his lips into a thin line to avoid laughing. “Yeah, I don’t buy it. Your Highness enjoys the ‘sexual intercourse’ with me so much.”

“Mister Winchester, you are such an assbutt.”

Dean laughed and kissed him, happily. Castiel loved the feeling of Dean’s happiness in their kisses. “Your Highness should learn new insults,” he murmured into his mouth, with a sly smile.

“And Mister Winchester should stop teasing me and keeping me here.”

Dean made a nostalgic smile. “Yeah, well, Mister Winchester always hates it when Your Highness leaves,” he said, softly. His eyes were a bit sad, and Castiel hated that. “And, also, Mister Winchester wishes Your Highness could stay until morning, so they could sleep in the same bed and he could prepare Your Highness breakfast.”

“Dean—”

“And also have some sexual intercourse in the bed when we wake up.”

Castiel smiled, sadly. “I want that, too.” He wanted to go to bed with Dean and wake every day of his life next to him, and kiss him and make sweet love to each other before taking a bath and having breakfast.

“And I managed to make the two of us sad,” he said with a fake laugh.

“Mister Winchester has a good heart,” Castiel said with a sweet smile. “And he loves His Highness so much that he can’t help wishing things.”

“Is Mister Winchester and Your Highness going to become a thing for us?” Dean asked, smirking.

“I sincerely hope it won’t,” he said, with a warning glare. Dean laughed. “But knowing your tendency to tease me, I’m afraid that it will.”

“That’s ‘cause Your Highness looks adorable when he gets grumpy and mad at me.”

“I hate you so fucking much, Dean,” he muttered, frustrated.

Dean laughed. “No, you don’t hate me.” He pressed sweet, tiny kisses on Castiel’s lips until his frown disappeared.

“I don’t,” Castiel confessed, looking at Dean’s eyes. “Even if you can be insufferable and frustrating.” His words made Dean look down, ashamed, but Castiel cupped his face and tilted his head up. “But for the rest, you are wonderful, Dean. You are kind, sweet, caring, smart, funny, brave, talented and so many more things.” He kissed him again, feeling how Dean melted in it. “I have to go now, Dean.”

“I know,” he said, nodding. “Come as soon as you can.”

“I always do.” He smiled and opened the door.

“And don’t push yourself over the limit,” he added, with a worried look. “But you’re as stubborn as me, or even worse, so I guess you won’t listen to me.”

Castiel chuckled. “I think you are much more stubborn than I am.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Fuck you, Your Highness.”

“Another night, Mister Winchester.”

His heart skipped a beat with the beautiful grin Dean made. He kissed him one last time and he left the house, walking towards his horse.

He always had to leave Dean behind to return back to the place he had to call home but didn’t feel like it. He always had to keep Dean and him a secret. Fifteen years had passed, and they were no longer kids, but Castiel’s departure remained the same. He dreamt with the day when he didn’t have to leave from Dean’s side. He dreamt with the day when his heart didn’t clench in fear of being discovered. He dreamt with the day when he and Dean could be fully together.

Castiel needed to start looking for people in the parliament who supported him. But he would have to be discreet. If the Prince of Arpret was found making alliances with the rebels, their destiny would be completely doomed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, for the kudos, the bookmarks, the comments and the subscriptions!

With the excuse of going to the parliament to experience what would it be to be in that huge building, surrounded by politicians, being in a place of power, Castiel was trying to get to know the members a bit better. He had been in the parliament with the King a couple of times, but this time he was going on his own. He knew how things worked and he knew the members, but he wanted to know more about them. The problem was to approach those ones regarded as rebels.

Everyone was paying attention to everything Castiel did, and also, Castiel had two men following him around to protect him from any incident that could happen, but that was because the King had insisted. His uncle was getting paranoid, but it was understandable. Lucifer wanted Castiel’s title, and he could act whenever he wanted to and attack him to snatch the title.

Castiel attended the session and listened to some of the members. There was a part of the session that was spent by yelling and insults were exchanged. He wondered what kind of comments Dean would have made if he were there with him. He would have made some witty and sarcastic comments on each of the members, pointing how they only wanted to use their power to benefit themselves, silencing those who actually wanted a change. Castiel watched them in silence, wondering how on earth he was going to find the support he needed in that kind of people.

Once the session finished, everybody left the chamber. Most of the parliamentarians met with Castiel and exchanged some courtesy words. Castiel tried to get some information about the people he was talking about, but a few minutes couldn’t tell him how a person was. All those people thought he was like the King; no one had any idea that Castiel was closer to the rebel’s ideas than the King’s or that he loved a man and he slept with him whenever he could find some time. No one of them knew about his secrets, so Castiel couldn’t know about theirs.

He was talking to the leader of the parliament when two men opened the doors of the hall, the loud noise echoing in the walls of the hall, carrying a red haired woman who looked furiously at them, trying to get away from their grip, but it was useless; they were strong and as tall as Sam Winchester, while her head barely reached their shoulders and she was thin, and she was also handcuffed.

“Miss Bradbury again,” Zachariah, the president of the parliament and the president of the most voted party, said, irritated.

Castiel had heard about Charlie Bradbury. She was an intellectual, a feminist and a rebel. She fought for the rights of woman. Thanks to her, in the previous elections, women were allowed to vote and some women got to be part of the parliament. She was still fighting for the rights of women, given that there were still a lot of things that women couldn’t do and they were still considered less than a man. She always challenged and defied the parliament, which irritated its members.

“What has she done this time?” Zachariah asked, exasperated.

“Now you have called the Prince?” Charlie asked with a glare directed towards Zachariah and Castiel, interrupting what one of the men that were carrying her was going to say. “I’m getting more important.”

“She was seen in the public kissing a woman,” the guard began to explain, ignoring her, “that she assures that is her soon to be wife.”

Castiel tried to keep his expression still. Charlie Bradbury was also homosexual. That was really good. He could find support in her. She wasn’t part of the parliament, but she had influence, not to mention that she was also known for finding about other people’s secrets and using them to gain support.

“We’re actually married,” Charlie sassed. “But we only lack of an official paper, given that in this society, love is only valid when it happens in between people of different sexes and of the same color.” There was rage and boldness in her voice and Castiel liked it.

“This isn’t anarchy, Miss Bradbury,” Zachariah said, getting closer to her. Charlie defied him with her eyes. “There are rules and laws.”

“And what about the corruption laws? I know some members of your party have been accepting bribes, but they are still part of the parliament. Not to mention all those scandals you are part of.”

“You are talking nonsense, Miss Bradbury.” He glared her and then he looked at the guards. “Bring her to the—”

“I would like to speak with Miss Bradbury,” Castiel interrupted, using a sharp tone. He didn’t like taking advantage of his power and position, but he needed to do it. “Alone,” he added, using a sharp voice.

Everyone gave him a confused look, except Charlie, who gave him a curious one. “What for?”

Castiel looked at Zachariah with a serious and deadly look. “It is a matter of the Crown. I need to talk with this rebel to know what are going to be the challenges I will face when I become King.” He moved towards the door that leaded to an office that was empty and opened it. “I need to understand her thinking to know what I must do in the future to eradicate issues like this.”

Zachariah gave him a pleased look while Charlie rolled her eyes and glared him. “Do you really think I will talk to you?” she asked, sassily.

“It is just a conversation,” Castiel said, keeping a straight voice. He looked at the guards, who nodded at him and got their arms away from Charlie, who walked inside the office, giving Castiel a cautious look. Then, Castiel looked at the men who were guarding him. “Stay by the door, if I need you, I will call you,” he explained. His guards nodded and placed on each sides of the door while Castiel closed it. He turned around, and found Charlie leaning on the table, looking defiant. “I would like to apologize for the tune I used before with you,” he began to say, using a softer voice. “And for the way they treated you.”

“Since when does the Crown give a damn about my situation?” Charlie asked, suspicious.

Castiel approached her, but he kept their distances. They needed to talk in a low voice, just in case somebody from the hall decided to listen to their conversation. “I have heard about you, Charlie Bradbury. You are one of the most brilliant people in this country; you are a feminist, a rebel and homosexual. And for what I have seen in the last few minutes, the rumors of you knowing about other people’s secrets are true.”

Charlie gave him a calculative look, frowning. “You haven’t pronounced the words ‘feminist’, ‘rebel’ and ‘homosexual’ with disgust,” she said, perplexed. “And you have called me brilliant.”

“There’s nothing wrong on being a feminist, a rebel and or a homosexual,” Castiel said, looking at her with honesty. Charlie raised her eyebrows in surprise, almost in shock. “I need your help.”

“For what?” She didn’t trust him, and Castiel could understand her. Castiel’s image was of the Prince of Arpret and royalty wasn’t famous for caring about people. He hated that image, but Castiel had to wear a mask that hid his true self.

“I need to change things. I want to change things. But I can’t do it alone. I want to change the law that condemns homosexual relationships. Love is love, no matter what, and people shouldn’t have to hide their love and fear for their life. There’s nothing wrong with loving someone of the same sex, or someone with a different color of their skin. I also want to change the law that condemns interracial relationships. And I want to change the law that forces women to be considered inferior. Women are as brilliant as men, and they deserve to have the same rights as any man. And the same for people of color.”

“Is this the real life?” she asked, her voice full of emotion. “Do you truly want that?”

“I do,” he said, and his voice was also shaky. “People are unjustly suffering and I need to change things, I want to help these people. There are people who can’t love freely because of that law and people suffering because they don’t have the same rights as a white man.” He had always seen how unjust the world was, since he was a little kid, but all those injustices hurt him even more now that he was an adult and he was more aware of things.

“Oh my God,” Charlie murmured. Her eyes were glassy and she had a tiny, touched smile drawn on his lips. “You actually care.”

“I do care, Miss Bradbury, but I have to pretend that I don’t because if somebody finds out that I actually want to change things—”

“I know,” Charlie said, with a sympathetic smile. “They would take you away and the next in line is Lucifer, and we can’t allow that. Things would get even worse if he becomes King.”

“Exactly.” He was glad that Charlie understood his situation and that she was aware of his position. “That’s why I need your help. I can’t change things until I become King, but if I want to change the laws I have mentioned before I need a seventy percent of the parliament’s support, which I doubt I will have. But if some member of the parliament proposes the change of this law—”

“Only a fifty percent will be needed, and in case of a tie, your word is what counts,” she finished with a grin. Castiel nodded. “But what do you want me to do?”

“You are influential. I need you to start promoting the change of these laws. Thanks to you, there are women in the parliament and women can vote. I need your help to convince parliamentarians to change these laws. You have already convinced them for the women’s votes and to integrate women in the parliament. I need you to do the same with the laws I have mentioned. And I want you to be discrete.”

“No problem, Your Highness,” she said with a big grin.

“Please, call me Castiel.”

“Alright, Castiel, but only if you call me Charlie.”

Castiel grinned. “Done.”

“But I have to ask which law you want to change first. You know that only one law can be changed at a time, with a period of one week in between said changes.”

“I want to change the one that condemns homosexual relationships,” he said. That was the one that he needed to change first.

Charlie studied his face and she made a surprised face. “You are in love with a man, aren’t you?”

Castiel blinked, perplexed. “How do you know?”

“The look in your eyes,” she explained with a soft voice. Before they got into that room, Charlie seemed to be harsh and defiant, but now that they were alone, that she saw they were on the same side, she was nice and gentle. “That’s the look of someone who wants to love freely, without having to hide it.”

Castiel looked down and blushed. “I just want to love him without fearing for his life. I want to be with him, completely. If I feel like this, I can’t imagine what it’s like for the rest of the people who have to hide their love as well. I can find ways to see the man I love, to be with him, but some other people can’t and I can’t understand why something like love has to be forbidden.”

“I will help you, Castiel,” Charlie promised, her eyes shining bright. She squeezed Castiel’s wrist, soothingly. “I’m glad to know that you care about us and that you want to change things for better. We needed someone like you.”

“Thank you, Charlie.” He was happy. They still needed to do a lot of things, but he had Charlie Bradbury on his side, willing to help him, and that was a victory. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to get you out of here because it will be suspicious,” he said, sadly. He felt terrible for not being able to free her.

She grinned. “Do you think this is the first time they get me? I’m sure this won’t be the last one either. Don’t worry, Castiel, I know we both have to pretend that we are enemies.”

“Thanks for your understanding. I sincerely hope you get out of here soon.”

“I’ve got one of the best lawyers in the city,” she said with a smirk. “I’ll be out sooner than you expect me.” They walked towards the door. Castiel was about to open the door, but Charlie spoke first, murmuring, “We will stay in touch. I will contact you, don’t worry about it.” She winked at him.

“Thank you,” he whispered.

She smiled and nodded. Castiel opened the door and both of them pretended to be angry at each other. Zachariah was still waiting in the hall and moved his hands towards the guards, ordering them to grab Charlie and bring her to the tribunal. Castiel felt bad for letting her go like that, but if he showed mercy with her, everyone would suspect, and he needed to be a discreet as possible. He hoped that Charlie would get out soon.

“Did you get anything useful from the feminist, Your Highness?” Zachariah asked, approaching Castiel.

Castiel tried to ignore the way Zachariah said the word ‘feminist’. He hated how everyone in the parliament considered themselves superior to those who thought differently and wanted the same rights for everyone. “Not much, I am afraid,” Castiel lied. Zachariah made a sympathetic grimace. “If you excuse me, Lord Zachariah, I must return to palace.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” He bowed his head and Castiel did the same before leaving the building, followed by his guards.

The carriage was waiting outside and they got inside it quickly, avoiding the curious pedestrians that wandered on the street. As the carriage moved, Castiel got immersed in his thoughts. Sam Winchester was investigating the laws regarding to the King’s power and Charlie Bradbury was going to start promoting the change of those laws, seeking for supports. Step by step, they were slowly building a path that would make things better, but the path was so long, and there was too much too build.

He had waited fifteen years to find Dean again. He could wait a little bit more to have him completely, without fearing for their lives.

Dean had finished washing the last plate of his dinner when there was a knock on the front door. He dried his hands on his pants and walked towards the front door. It was already dark and he didn’t get visits at that time, except for Castiel, but he always knocked on the back door, but he had the key, so he did no longer knock.

When he opened the door, he found his friend, Charlie and he grinned. “Only you could come this late,” Dean said, happily.

“If you didn’t live in the outskirts of the city, I would have arrived sooner,” she sassed with a pretty smile.

Dean chuckled and set aside, letting her come in. “How are you? Sam told me you got arrested again.”

“You visited your brother and you didn’t come to visit me? How dare you, Winchester.”

Dean laughed again and they walked towards the living room, sitting on the couch. “I went to the city because I needed to buy cadmium yellow and cerulean blue, so I decided to take a visit to Sam and Jess.” He always did that. Whenever he had to go to the city to buy any art material, he passed by his brother’s house to visit him and his wife and they talked for a couple of hours. He also went to visit his brother to know if he had found something about Castiel being able to change the laws, but he hadn’t found anything yet. “So you kissed Dorothy in public, huh?”

“Of course I did,” she said, smirking. “You should have seen the scandalized looks of the police.” She and Dean laughed. “But then they had to handcuff me and bring me to the tribunal. But thanks to Sam, I got out. Like always.”

“Sammy is a hell of a lawyer.”

Charlie nodded. “I think the whole tribunal trembles when they see him coming in.”

“I bet,” he said, proudly. His little brother was amazing. “So, how did they treat you this time? Because last time you got arrested, some guard grabbed you by the waist and carried you.”

“This time it was a regular carriage,” she commented casually. “That guard knows that I’m a kicker. But something I didn’t expect happened.”

Dean arched his eyebrow, interested. “Yeah? And what’s that?”

“Top secret.” She wiggled her eyebrows and gave Dean a funny look. “I can’t talk about it. But I was surprised by the whole thing. I—” She smiled, happily and looked down. Dean knew that gesture; she always made it when she felt moved. “I didn’t expect that this person would actually care, you know? I truly think that we are getting closer to improve things for everyone.”

Dean made a thoughtful grimace. “You’ve got me all intrigued. Tell me who this mysterious person is!”

“Sorry, Dean, but I can’t. I have to be as discrete as possible,” she said, giggling.

“I’m part of the rebellion, too! I deserve to know!”

“And you will, but for now, nobody except me must know what I’m up to.”

“Dean?” Castiel said from behind them, and Dean and Charlie turned their faces, looking at where Castiel was standing.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean said with a smile and he stood up. Charlie remained seated, looking at Castiel with wide eyes. “I didn’t hear you,” he added, giving Cas a warning look. He knew that he could trust Charlie, but Castiel should be more careful. Dean was usually alone at this time, but sometimes he got visits, and if somebody saw Castiel…

“I know,” Castiel said with an obvious look. “But I recognized Charlie’s voice.”

“Wait,” he said, blinking perplexed, and he turned around to look at Charlie, who was still looking at them with a baffled expression, trying to figure out why the Prince of Arpret knew Dean. “Do you know each other?”

“Yes,” Charlie answered. “He is the person I was referring to a few minutes ago.” She gave them a squinty look, but then she raised her eyebrows and covered her mouth, before pointing at them. “Oh my— Dean is the man you love!”

“How do you—?” Dean began to ask, looking for an explanation from Castiel or Charlie.

“She was arrested,” Castiel began to explain. “I was in the parliament and when she was being carried to the tribunal, so I talked to her alone and explained her the laws I want to change. She is influential and thanks to her there are women in the parliament and women can vote—”

“And he wants me to help him find support to change the laws,” Charlie finished with a big grin. “And that some member of the parliament promotes these changes because that way, Castiel will only need fifty percent of the support instead of a seventy percent.”

Dean looked at Castiel, impressed. “Wow, Cas. Your cunningness is impressive.”

“Thank you, Dean.” He smiled and kissed him, briefly. “But you should have told me that you knew her.”

“I was gonna tell you, but given that Charlie is famous for all the troubles she gets into and that she isn’t fond on the Crown, I didn’t know how to convince her.”

Charlie smiled and blushed. “Oh, Dean, stop your praising.”

Dean rolled his eyes.

“Okay, I want to know how is it that one of my best friends and the Prince of Arpret are together,” Charlie said with an inquiring look. Then, she pated the couch. “And I don’t care how long the story is, I want to hear everything.”

“Even the sexual details?” Dean asked, mockingly. Castiel rolled his eyes.

“I just want the details that confirm me that you are a sap.”

“Then, I will tell you the story,” Castiel said, giving Dean a playful look.

Dean glared him, but Castiel gave him a sweet smile and Dean melted. That smile was his weakness.

Castiel told Charlie their story, about how they met several years ago, how they confessed their feelings and started a relationship until his Father discovered them and they were pulled apart. He told her about how he became a Prince and how he met Dean again after so many years. Charlie listened to the story, with a soft smile drawn on her lips, shocked about how much they had suffered and surprised about how they still loved each other after so many years.

“How is that you never told me this story?” Charlie asked to Dean, after Castiel had finished telling their story.

Dean sighed. “It hurt,” he mumbled. “Only Sam knew. But during those years I wasn’t able to talk about Cas, because it still hurt how we were pulled away.” Castiel looked at him with a sad smile and grabbed his hand, lacing their fingers together, making Dean smile, softly. He understood Dean’s pain; after all, Castiel had suffered, too. “But I never forgot him.” With his free hand, he touched his chest, right where the golden pendant was, hidden under his shirt.

Charlie smiled. “I’m glad you guys met again after all those years.”

Castiel and Dean looked at each other and smiled. “But we still have to hide it,” Castiel said, sadly and grimacing.

“Yeah,” Dean mumbled.

“Things will change,” Charlie said with determination. “There are a lot of homosexuals in the country, so they will be glad that you support them. The problem comes with the parliamentarians. The rebels will support the changes, and there are some members from the other parties that are liberal and that they will support it, too, but there are still some left that I will need to convince, and it’s going to take me time. But I can do it.”

“Thank you, Charlie,” Castiel said.

“But don’t mention that it’s Cas’ idea,” Dean reminded her, with an obvious look.

Charlie gave him a bitch face. “Seriously, Dean? Do you think I’m dumb?” Her words made Castiel chuckle softly while Dean rolled his eyes. “We all have to pretend that we don’t know about this. This isn’t my first time, in case you forgot.”

Dean huffed. “Alright, alright. Anyway, send me a letter to inform us about the situation. Nobody would suspect if you write me.”

“Yeah, that’s safer.” She nodded and stood up. “Well, gentlemen, I have to go back home. Tomorrow I have to start convincing people.”

“I wonder how long it will take you to get arrested again,” Dean joked.

Castiel glared him. “Don’t be mean.”

She chuckled. “Don’t worry, Cas. I will totally get arrested. But Sam is an amazing lawyer.”

Castiel gave her a surprised look. “Sam is your lawyer?”

“Yeah,” Dean said. “Why do you think she always gets free? Because Sam is a fucking awesome lawyer.” He grinned and Castiel could see the happiness and pride Dean felt towards his brother. “By the way,” Dean added, looking at Charlie. “He’s already investigating the laws, trying to find a gap that Cas can use to change those laws, so if you need anything, he is aware of what we’re doing.”

“Nice!” Charlie exclaimed, really excited. “I will talk to him, then. And now I’m going to walk back home.”

“Isn’t it going to be dangerous?” Castiel asked, worried. He knew that some women got attacked in the night. It was rarely, but Castiel was worried. Besides, Charlie had enemies because she was a feminist.

Charlie smiled and he lifted the skirt of her dark blue dress, revealing that she was wearing pants underneath and a blade. “I know how to fight.” She winked him. “By the way, you should also remove the law that fines women who wear pants. That law was clearly written by a man who doesn’t know how uncomfortable dresses are. But after we change the important ones, of course.”

“I will work on it,” Castiel said, smiling. He needed to change so many things. Apart from the laws he was working on changing, he needed to do something to help those in the worst districts and build hospitals and schools to provide them a better future. “See you soon, Charlie.”

“Yeah, see you soon, Charlie,” Dean said.

“See you, guys,” she said, and she walked away.

“I really like her,” Castiel confessed after he heard the main door closing.

“Yeah, she’s awesome,” Dean agreed. He got his hand on Castiel’s nape and his fingers started to brush his hair, making Castiel purr. “You seem more rested than the other day. Did you actually listened to me and you took a rest?”

“No, I have been busy, but since I talked to Charlie, I have been less stressed.” He had been really busy with more issues and attending nobles, but having Charlie on their side lifted a weight from his shoulders.

Dean started kissing his jaw and Castiel closed his eyes, moaning lowly. “Do you wanna go upstairs so you can completely relax?” Dean murmured into his ear before catching his earlobe in between his teeth.

Castiel bit his lower lip, getting his hand on Dean’s thigh, caressing it. Dean had his other hand on his waist, his fingers sneaking under his clothes, finding his skin and spreading warmth. All Dean had to do was kiss him and touch him softly and Castiel felt how his heart increased the speed of its beating and how his body increased its temperature, arousal quickly building inside him.

“Is sex everything you think about?” Castiel asked, smirking. 

Dean glared him and pulled his hands and mouth of Castiel, who immediately missed his warmth. “You have a terrible opinion of me.”

“I was only teasing you, Dean,” Castiel said, cupping Dean’s face, his thumbs caressing his freckled cheekbones. He leaned and kissed him sweetly. “I am well aware that you don’t only love me because of sex.”

“You make me sound like a jerk.”

“More like an assbutt.”

Dean rolled his eyes but smiled. He sighed and pressed their foreheads together, bringing his hands to Castiel’s hands, lacing their fingers together and he pulled them down, resting them on his thighs. “It’s just that,” Dean began to say, sounding shy. “We barely got time together now, and I like being with you in bed, because for a moment, it feels like—”

“We are truly together and safe,” Castiel finished. He felt the same; when he and Dean were making love, being really intimate, it felt like both were somewhere else, safe in each other’s arms, allowed to have what was forbidden. They barely could be together, and when they could, they wanted to be as close as possible, making up for all the lost time.

Dean nodded. “Yeah.” He took a deep breath. “Not to mention that the sex is mind-blowing.

Castiel chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Assbutt.”

Dean grinned. Then he kissed him. “But I love being with you anyway,” he said in between kisses. “No matter what.” Another kiss. “Just having you here is awesome.”

Castiel melted with Dean’s words. He shared the feeling. He loved being with Dean, regardless of what they were doing. Way before they got together, he always loved spending his afternoons with Dean.

Their kisses became deeper and heated, and their hands moved on each other, desperately to feel more. Dean pulled away and looked at Castiel, who was already panting. He stood up and grabbed his hand, pulling Castiel with him. They walked upstairs and started kissing once they were in the bedroom, getting their restless hands on each other again, wanting to touch as much as possible.

They took each other’s clothes off, dropping them onto the floor while they kissed. Castiel’s hands wandered on Dean’s body, loving the feeling of Dean’s warmth skin under his palms and fingers, mapping the shapes and curves of his magnificent body. Dean did the same, his hands lingering on Castiel’s hips and thighs; he seemed to love those a lot.

They reached the bed and Castiel fell onto it with Dean on top of him. His hands caressed the inner of his thighs as he deepened the kiss, pushing his tongue inside Castiel’s mouth. Castiel moaned into the kiss, rolling his hips, seeking friction. His hand traced down Dean’s back as his other hand stayed on Dean’s hair, gripping it tightly. He pulled his mouth from Dean’s lips and he started kissing his neck, haring Dean’s soft moans and feeling his body jerk when Castiel sucked. The hand that was tracing down Dean’s back moved towards Dean’s cock and he started to caress it, his fist tightening around Dean’s length. Dean groaned and thrusted his hips, fucking into Castiel’s fist, steadily but slowly.

Castiel moved his fist while Dean rolled his hips. He kept kissing Dean’s neck, nibbling his earlobe, loving how Dean reacted to his touches and kisses. Suddenly, Dean pulled away and grabbed Castiel wrists, pining them to the pillow as he leaned down and kissed him, passionately and eagerly, making Castiel feel a great dizziness.

“I’m gonna do something,” Dean whispered into his mouth. Their faces were close, really close. When Dean spoke, his lips moved and Castiel could feel them onto his. “And I’m pretty sure you’re gonna love it.”

Castiel wanted to ask, but Dean kissed him again in that breathtaking way of his and he lost the ability to form speech. Dean moved his mouth, pressing kisses on his chin and on his neck. He reached his chest and kept leaving a trail of kisses. He went further down, kissing his navel, looking at Castiel with love and devotion, and Castiel let out a shuddered breath.

Dean got his hands on Castiel’s thighs and spread them. Castiel watched him with arousal and some curiosity. Dean never moved his eyes away from Castiel’s. His hands came up, until they were gripping his hipbones tightly. His mouth descended a little bit and Dean kissed the head of his cock, and Castiel let out a wail. Dean smirked and then he wrapped his lips around Castiel’s cock, swallowing him down in one perfect movement, and Castiel moaned Dean’s name, as loudly as he could, lifting his hips instinctively, as much as Dean’s grip allowed him, loving the feeling of Dean’s warm mouth around him.

He brought his hands to Dean’s hair, gripping it tightly, and Dean moaned around his cock, sounding really pleased. He bobbed his head up, twirling his tongue around the shaft, hollowing his cheeks. Castiel closed his eyes and pressed the back of his head against the pillow, parting his lips and moaning Dean’s name over and over again.

Dean kept his lips wrapped around the head of Castiel’s cock, his tongue licking it playfully. Castiel bit his bottom lip but parted them the moment Dean swallowed him down again, until Castiel’s cock was pressed against his throat and his nose was buried in the curly hairs of his crotch. Dean started to bob his head up and down faster and steadily, and Castiel was rapt. Dean pressed his lips tighter around his length and his tongue swirled around it, licking everywhere as his cheeks hollowed. Castiel rocked his hips, fucking into Dean’s mouth, tugging Dean’s hair, and Dean moaned around his cock.

Dean’s mouth was warm and wet and his tongue was skillful. His head moved in a perfect rhythm that matched the roll of Castiel’s hips. Castiel spread his legs a bit more, making more room for Dean, who kept giving him pleasure with his wonderful mouth. One of his hands came to Castiel’s balls and he started to massage them, and Castiel groaned and lifted his hips, fucking into Dean’s mouth, and both of them moaned.

It didn’t take him too long to come into Dean’s mouth, filling it with his warm liquid. Dean moaned, really pleased and swallowed his come as he kept working his mouth and tongue on his cock. Once he felt that Castiel was done with his release, he slowly bobbed his head up and kept his lips pressed around the head of his cock, his tongue licking the remaining of Castiel’s come.

Castiel was panting and rapt, feeling really good. He managed to open his eyes and looked at Dean, with his lips around his cock, looking at him with lust. Castiel made a soft smile and softened the grip of Dean’s hair, caressing his light brown hair. Dean pulled his mouth away with a wet sound and moved up, bringing his lips to Castiel’s to kiss him. His mouth tasted like Castiel’s come, and it was a different taste, but it was kind of nice.

“Did you like it?” Dean asked after nibbling Castiel’s bottom lip.

“I loved it,” Castiel answered with a smile. “In case you didn’t realize, I came in your mouth.”

Dean chuckled. “Don’t sass me, Cas.”

He chuckled and kissed him again, feeling that Dean hadn’t come yet. “I want to try it,” he told him, looking at his cock. “I want to make you come with my mouth.”

Dean arched his eyebrows, clearly pleased. “You wanna blow me, Cas?” His voice sounded pleased, and Dean immediately rolled onto his back. “I’m all yours.”

Castiel placed himself on top on Dean and kissed him, passionately and desperately. His hands traced down his sides and them he traced them up, until he moved them towards his nipples and caressed them, softly, making Dean hum and moan into the kiss. He pulled away after a while and placed his hands on Dean’s thighs, encouraging him to spread them and Dean complied.

He settled in between Dean’s legs and approached his lips towards the head of Dean’s cock. He knew he wasn’t going to be as good as Dean was, but he wanted to do it. Dean gave him a soothing smile, aware of Castiel’s worries. Castiel made a timid smile; Dean knew him too well. He placed his hands on Dean’s hipbones and Dean immediately brought his to Castiel’s hair.

Castiel licked the head of Dean’s cock, tasting it, and Dean made a soft groan. He proceeded to wrap his lips around the head, making Dean moan. The feeling was different, but Castiel liked it. He swirled his tongue and Dean’s grip on his hair became tighter and his moans louder. Castiel started to swallow Dean down, as further as he could, helped by Dean’s grip. Dean’s cock felt heavy and thick in his mouth and he loved it.

He took Dean in his mouth as deep as he could, and he remained in that position, swirling his tongue around Dean’s shaft. Dean lifted his hips, pushing a little bit deeper into Castiel’s mouth, and Castiel moaned around his freckled cock. He took a look at Dean, and he moaned again when he saw Dean’s blissful and rapt; his eyes were closed, his mouth was parted, his cheeks were flushed and his head was pressed on the pillow, lifting his chin. He looked beautiful.

Castiel bobbed his head up, pressing his lips tighter, hollowing his cheeks and swirling his tongue on Dean’s shaft, trying to do it just how Dean did it on him a few moments ago. It earned him a wonderful moan from Dean, who lifted his hips and arched his back, gripping Castiel’s hair tighter.

Castiel became more confident and increased the speed of his bobs, swallowing Dean down as deep as he could, moaning around his cock when he had it almost in the back of his throat. His movements were unexperienced, but Dean was moaning and rolling his hips enthusiastically, clearly enjoying Castiel’s blowjob, and that encouraged Castiel.

He kept blowing Dean, moving his tongue restlessly and increasing the speed. He took a look at Dean again, and he moaned around his thick and long cock again. Dean fucked into his mouth, trying not to get deeper than Castiel could. Castiel felt Dean’s cock twitching in his mouth, and he pressed his lips tighter and swirled his tongue effusively. Dean came into his mouth. His come tasted good, and Castiel moaned as he swallowed it, just like Dean did. The feeling was strange at first, but he found himself enjoying it.

As Dean came, Castiel kept swallowing Dean, letting the warm liquid fill his mouth. When Dean was done, Castiel licked the head of Dean’s cock, not wanting to waste any of it. Dean was smirking at him when he looked at him, and Castiel couldn’t help blushing. Dean cupped his face and brought him up so they could meet into a sweet kiss. Castiel could feel Dean’s happy and sated smile in it, and it made him smile as well.

“That was awesome, Cas,” Dean said, happily and proud.

“Thank you, Dean,” Castiel said, still blushing.

They kept kissing, slowly but tenderly. Castiel loved kissing Dean. It was one of his favorite things.

Dean rolled the two of them, until Castiel was lying onto his back. Dean pressed his chest against his side as they kissed, and Castiel held him tightly. Kissing was always great, but it was even better if they were cuddling.

Dean’s hand caressed Castiel’s jaw as they kissed. He pulled away and chuckled, which made Castiel frown in confusion. “Your stubble,” Dean said. “I remember when you came back to Esomal and I noticed it.” He kept caressing his face, his fingers feeling his stubble.

Castiel remembered that. Dean was the first one to notice his facial hair. “I didn’t have as much as now,” Castiel said. He brought his hand to Dean and caressed Dean’s face, feeling the beard that wanted to grow up. He didn’t have stubble. “You, on the other hand, are always shaved.”

“Yeah, I don’t like my face with a beard. Maybe some stubble like yours, but I prefer being shaved.”

Castiel chuckled at the picture of Dean with a beard.

“You’re imagining me with a beard, aren’t you?” Dean asked with an arched brow.

“Yes,” Castiel confessed with a big grin.

“Dick,” he muttered and Castiel’s grin became wider. “Protocol doesn’t tell you to shave?”

“No. But it requires me that if I have a beard, or in this case, stubble, it must look and be clean. But I don’t want it to have it longer.” He touched his face, remembering that he hadn’t shaved in four days. “I shave when I remember to or when I am not busy. But if you like it, I can keep it instead of shaving it completely.”

Dean smiled. “Nah, Cas. I like you with or without stubble.” He kissed him, sweetly.

“But you seem fond on it.”

Dean chuckled and caressed his stubble one more time. “It’s not fondness, it’s—” He took a deep breath and looked at him in a nostalgic way. “Your stubble reminds me that we’ve both grown up.” His hand descended and reached the feather necklace. “I still remember those times when we were kids and grew up together. They seem to be from a really long time ago.”

Castiel grabbed his hand and pulled it towards his lips, kissing his knuckles. “Fifteen years is almost half our lives, Dean.”

“Yeah,” he said, sighing. “I wish I could’ve found you sooner.”

Castiel made a tiny smile and looked at their joined hands, caressing the back of Dean’s hand. “Well, at least we are now together. Not fully but—”

“But still together,” Dean said with a big smile. He leaned and kissed Castiel. “Don’t leave me again,” he murmured with a shaky voice. He cupped Castiel’s face, stroking it softly. His eyes were full of emotion; they had always been the most expressive feature of him.

“Never,” Castiel said and he kissed him, desperately. He wasn’t going to leave Dean again. “I’m yours, Dean. All yours. Only yours. No matter what.”

Dean smiled. “And I’m yours, too, Cas.”

Castiel grinned. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Dean said, and they kissed again.

Dean’s bedroom was like the forest where they met; safe.

Walking to the capital was always a long walk, but Dean didn’t mind it. He liked walking. Even though he lived in the outskirts of the capital, he knew the city pretty well. There were still places that he didn’t know, given that the capital was huge, but he knew a big part of it.

After Castiel had left the previous night, Dean went back to bed and started thinking about their situation. He wanted to help and find a way to fix the problem that concerned them. Castiel was searching for a way to change the law and finding supporters. Sam was studying every law book, looking for a gap. And Charlie was seeking for parliamentarians that would support the change of those laws. But Dean hadn’t done anything and he felt bad about it. He didn’t have Castiel’s and Sam’s knowledge about law, and he wasn’t as influential as Charlie, but he could get some important information.

The capital had a district that was commonly known as the sin district. Drugs and prostitution were the reason of that name. Everyone knew about its existence and everyone, including the parliament, was well aware of all the illegal activities happening in there, but nobody did anything. Laws barely existed in the sin district. Why? Because some parliamentarians had business in there and some of them came to the sin district to enjoy opium or pay for sex with a woman or a man. And that was what Dean needed to find; all the men parliamentarians who went to the sin district looking for a man.

But he wasn’t going directly to the sin district. It was a dangerous place unless you knew it, and Dean avoided going to that part of the capital, but he knew a friend who could help him; Ash.

Ash was a genius, but he didn’t look like it. He was a nice guy and willing to help anyone who needed his help. He was an intellectual that got expelled from college for telling a Doctor that he didn’t have any fucking idea about what he was teaching and that he was wasting the time of his students. He couldn’t finish his studies, but Ash didn’t need them; he was a genius.

He worked as an inventor and as a repairer, although he didn’t look like it. Ash had a really weird hairdo that he referred to it as business in the front and party in the back. He dressed with weird clothes that most of the times were really colorful. He was a picturesque being; maybe that’s why Dean liked him that much.

He got inside Ash’s store, if it could be called like that. There were gadgets scattered everywhere, pieces of everything you could imagine, pieces that Ash always found a use for. There were papers with schemes and drafts on them on the walls and on the tables and there were origami cranes hanging from the ceiling.

Ash was working on something, showing his back to Dean, but when the bell above the door rang, indicating Dean’s presence, Ash turned around, and his face made a pleased grin. “Dean!” Ash exclaimed. “I thought you’ve forgotten about me. When was the last time you came by?”

“Hey, Ash,” Dean greeted with a grin, walking closer towards his friend. “I’ve been busy. I have too many paintings to paint.” He looked around, seeing that there was even more junk than the previous time. “You haven’t exploded anything.”

“Yet,” he said with an obvious look.

Dean chuckled. “What are you working on?”

“I’m trying to make an automobile,” he answered, showing him an engine. “But I need a combustible and I’m not satisfied with the ones I’ve used.” He made a grimace and looked at the engine. “Anyway, what brings you here?”

“I need a big favor.”

“Whatever you need, compadre.”

“I need you to accompany me to the sin district,” he said. Ash looked at him with an arched brow and a suspicious look. “No, I’m not going there for drugs or prostitutes,” he explained with an obvious glare.

Ash still gave him a suspicious look. “And what for then?”

“I need to know which members of the parliament go to the sin district and use that information to blackmail them.”

Ash smirked. “Charlie’s up to something, right?”

Dean chuckled. “When isn’t she?”

Ash nodded. “There’s a brothel some businessman named Crowley owns. That guy has some influences on the parliament, and I know that some of them go to that brothel to sleep with some men. They like to say that homosexuality is a sin, but you know what they say, sin district escapes the law. Also, in that brothel, there’s an opium den, so if you wanna catch some hypocrites with power, that’s your place.”

“How do you even know that?” Dean asked with a frown. Ash always went to the sin district to help some families. He installed in their houses a heat, a plumbing system and a kitchen. He did it for free. But he never went to the places where drugs and prostitution were. Dean had helped him in some of those houses, and he hadn’t seen brothels, only suburbs with poor families.

“Do you think Charlie’s the only one who knows how to find useful information?” Ash asked, sassily. Dean chuckled. “I know an empty house close to the brothel where we can see every person that gets in the brothel without being seen.”

“Awesome.”

Ash walked away and went to the rack and grabbed his coat. “So, why are you trying to blackmail parliamentarians?” he asked as he put on his coat. “Something important must be.”

“Something that I really hope will happen,” Dean answered. He trusted Ash, but he didn’t want to reveal anything. Ash always helped them with what conservatives called rebellious changes, but it was safer if he believed that the reason of his motif was Charlie instead of Castiel.

Ash nodded and smiled. “Then it must be something good.”

They left the store. Ash closed it and the two of them walked towards the sin district. It wasn’t too far from his friend’s store, but it was still a thirty minute walk. As they got inside the sin district, the smell of the air changed. There was something thick and toxic in that air that it was almost suffocating. Most of the factories of the capital were close to that district, and the walls were dyed in coal and the air had the constant smoke that came out from the chimneys. The sin district was poor; most of the families didn’t have a job or were forced to work as prostitutes. The only good thing was that for the past ten years, the parliament decided to build a school, and kids could learn stuff. Most of them managed to get out of the district and get a better life. But the sin district was always populated by those who didn’t want to do anything with their life, junkies and jobless people. But there was also crowded because businessman wanted to get benefit from disturbing businesses.

Dean should talk about the conditions of this district to Cas; he knew that he would try to change things and improve the situation. But once again, Castiel would need the parliament’s support, and most of them had something to do with the district, even if they denied it. But everyone knew it.

They passed by some kids and Dean gave them some of his money so they could buy some food. The kids smiled at him and ran happily towards an old and faded building, where a young woman, who seemed to be their mother waited for them and hugged them. Dean’s heart clenched. They had tried to change the situation on this district; he had helped Charlie to change things, but they hadn’t won that fight, yet.

After a long walk, they reached an old and abandoned house and they got in. They could see the brothel perfectly from the windows. Once night came, men would come into the brothel, looking for men and opium, and Dean and Ash would be in the darkness of the house, watching carefully.

Ash and Dean talked about their lives a little as they waited for the night. It had been several weeks since they last saw each other, and they liked to know how each other were going. Night arrived soon, and they watched in silence the people that came by. Dean didn’t know all the members of the parliament, but he could recognize some of them. Ash, on the other hand, knew every member, which came in handy.

The night was long and men keep entering the brothel. It was a tedious waiting and Dean felt his eyes trying to close, clearly exhausted and tired, craving sleep. But he forced himself to remain awake, which was worthy, because during the whole night, eleven members of the parliament had entered the brothel. He had written down the hour and their names, with Ash’s help. He could use that information to blackmail them to support the change of law, but they would have to use it later, when they had some of the most secure supports.

Dawning arrived and Dean and Ash left the house, walking towards Ash store. Dean put the paper with the names in his pants’ pocket, keeping it safe. He knew that Charlie would use that information very well.

“Well,” Ash said as he yawned. He was exhausted too. After all, they spent the whole night awake, in complete silence, watching through the window. “Do you think it will be enough with those names?”

“For now, I think so,” Dean answered. “Thanks for the help, Ash.”

“No problem, compadre.” He yawned again. “But next time you ask me a favor like this, notify me before so I can get some sleep.”

Dean chuckled. “Alright, I will. See you.”

“See you.”

Ash got into his store and Dean walked back to his house. It would take him about forty minutes, but he didn’t care. He was happy with the names he had in that list. That information was juicy and he knew they could use it. If they needed more, he could always come back and spend another sleepless night.

The sun was rising in the horizon, painting the sky in pink and yellow, letting some blue colors slowly appear on it. The city was still asleep, and by the time Dean left it behind and arrived to the outskirts, surrounded by the nature, everything was quiet. The birds were still asleep and so did the animals. There were traces of dew in the grass and Dean stretched out his arm and felt the humidity of it on his palm. He was tired, and he would go straight to bed the moment he reached his home, but the feeling of the sun caressing his skin and the dew he could feel on his skin and he could smell, made him feel good.

The dawning always meant the start of something new; Dean hoped that the dawn of that day meant that they were getting closer to their goal. They were one step closer, but there was still so many things left to do.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long waiting, I've been buy with some life stuff.
> 
> Thanks for reading, for the comments, the kudos, the bookmarks and the subscriptions :)

The woods were quiet. The only sound that broke the silence was the gallop of Castiel’s horse. Castiel rode it into the forest, hidden in the darkness of the night. The moonlight leaked into the leaves of the trees, coloring the forest in blue and white, but no one was there except Castiel, and no one could see him.

His horse knew the path towards Dean’s house, without having Castiel to guide him. It knew when he had to stop decreasing his speed because Castiel’s destiny was almost there. The house appeared at the end of the woods, and like always, Castiel smiled at the sight of it. As the horse began to stop, Castiel saw Dean, sitting on the steps of the porch. He tilted his head down when he heard the horse coming closer and he smiled at Castiel, whose smile became wider.

Castiel got off the horse and tied it to the tree before he approached Dean. “What are you doing outside?” Castiel asked as he walked.

“It’s a nice night,” Dean answered. Then, he looked up. “And the night sky looks awesome.”

Castiel looked up and saw the night sky, covered in million shining stars. He smiled. “It truly does.” He sat next to Dean and they greeted each other with a soft kiss. “It has been a while since I last stared at the stars,” he added with a nostalgic voice.

“We used to say that it was a shame that we couldn’t see each other during night time because we wanted to see the stars together, remember?”

Castiel grinned. “Of course I remember, Dean.” The two of them looked up at the beautiful sky. “I also used to compare your freckles to the constellations.”

Dean huffed. “You still do it.” He looked at Castiel and their eyes met, smiling softly. “Tell me all the names of all the constellations you know, Cas.”

Castiel smiled and stood up, offering his hand to Dean, who frowned confused. “It will be easier if we do it while we lie on the grass.”

“Alright.” He grabbed his hand and stood up with Castiel’s help.

They walked towards the grass and lied onto it, with their shoulders pressed together. Castiel grabbed Dean’s hand and began to draw every constellation he knew, using Dean’s hand for that. He traced the whole night sky, connecting the stars with invisible lines, showing Dean every constellation and the story of why they had that name. Dean followed his movements and watched him carefully, paying attention to every word that Castiel said.

“Wow,” Dean said impressed when Castiel let his hand go. “You are like a walking encyclopedia of stars.”

Castiel rolled his eyes and turned his face to glare Dean. “Assbutt.” Under the moonlight, Castiel could see some of Dean’s freckles. They weren’t as clear as they were during daytime, but he could see them quite good. He rolled until he was lying aside and he cupped Dean’s face. “You have all those constellations on your face, Dean.” With his finger, he connected Dean’s freckles, whispering the names of every constellation he had named before. He could feel Dean’s cheeks getting hotter with his blush. He didn’t say a word; he let Castiel find all the constellations on his face. “You are made of stars, Dean,” Castiel finally said, mesmerized by the beauty of his lover.

Dean made a soft, tiny smile and kissed Castiel fondly. “You’re such a sap, Cas,” he whispered, but he was smiling.

Castiel chuckled and rolled again, resting his back onto the grass. The night was warm, but the grass felt a bit chilly, still, it felt nice to be outside with Dean, staring at the stars. “Sometimes,” Castiel began to say, shyly. “When me and Gabriel were allowed to go outside, we looked at the stars and I always remembered your freckles.”

“You did?” Dean asked, turning his face to look at Castiel, who hummed in affirmation. Dean smiled. “I should paint the stars one day.”

“Yes, you should.”

Dean chuckled. “You say that about everything I want to paint.”

“That’s because you are an extraordinary artist.”

Dean blushed and shook his head, biting his bottom lip. “You overrate me.”

“No, I don’t, and you know it.”

Dean turned his face and looked into Castiel’s eyes. Castiel could see emotion in them. After all, Castiel was one of the first people that praised Dean’s art and trusted him to become one of the most important and the best artist of his time. And he did, but Dean still didn’t consider himself as such. But he knew that Castiel’s praises were honest.

“Once things change,” Dean began to say. “Once we don’t have to hide anymore, I’m gonna paint you the night sky.”

“Okay,” Castiel said, smiling.

“And don’t you dare to pay me for it,” Dean added with an obvious look. “It’s gonna be a gift, got it?”

Castiel chuckled. “Of course, Dean.” He grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

They looked back at the sky, in a comfortable silence, with their shoulders pressed together and their fingers laced. Sometimes they talked and laughed, falling back into that comfortable silence. Castiel loved that. It didn’t matter what he and Dean were doing; just being together felt amazing. It had always felt like that. If only they were allowed to have this for longer.

But Castiel’s time to go came, like it always did. He and Dean kissed as a farewell, knowing they would see each other in a couple of days, whenever Castiel was able to get a small break. He hated having to wait for days until he saw Dean again, but that was what they had, and they had to work with it. At least they could see each other, even if it was for such a little amount of time, but it was something.

“See you soon, Cas,” Dean said after pulling away from the kiss.

“See you, Dean,” Castiel said, stealing a brief kiss from Dean’s lips. He walked towards the horse and he started to untie it.

“You haven’t told me the name of your horse,” Dean said, looking at him with a curious look.

“Emmanuel.”

“Seriously?” Dean asked with a grimace. Castiel frowned, not knowing why Dean found his horse’s name unusual. “You gave your horse the name you wanted to use as a pseudonym?”

Castiel shrugged, casually. “I couldn’t use it to myself so I use it for the horse.”

“It’s a terrible name for a horse.”

“You find that name terrible whether I use it for myself or for a horse,” Castiel said, giving him a glare and Dean chuckled. He didn’t know why Dean had never found that name appealing. He could understand that he didn’t like it for Castiel, given that Dean had expressed how much he like his name, but he couldn’t understand why he didn’t like it for anyone or anything else. “What do you have against that name?” he asked when he got onto the horse.

Dean shrugged. “I don’t know, to be honest.”

“Would you be happier if I called the horse Dean?”

“Don’t you dare to give the horse my name,” Dean said with a warning voice, accompanied with a glare.

Castiel arched his eyebrow, sassily. “What if I do it?”

“Then, Your Highness will have to put up with me calling him Your Highness for the rest of his life,” Dean said cockily. “And also I can stop painting that landscape Your Highness ordered me.”

“You can be so cruel, Mister Winchester,” Castiel said with fake frustration.

Dean laughed. “Then, don’t name the horse after me, Your Highness.”

“I won’t, Mister Winchester, but only because I love you.”

“Your Highness is such a sap,” Dean said, chuckling. “But Your Highness should know that I love him, with all my heart.”

Castiel smiled. Even though they were using pedant voices, like the ones those in the High Society used, he knew that Dean meant it. “I know, Dean.” His words made Dean grin, and it was always such a beautiful sight. “Do you even talk like that with your clients?”

“Yeah, more or less. But without the stupid voice because I’m not a toady.”

Castiel chuckled. “You are one of a kind.”

“And do you realize that now?”

Castiel pressed his lips into a thin line, suppressing a smile. “I realized that the moment I met you for the first time, Dean.” His words made Dean grin and blush. Even his eyes shinned bright under the moonlight. “Aren’t you going to say that I’m a sap?”

“You can tell that all by yourself.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “You are the worst, Dean.”

“Once again, do you realize that now?” he sassed, and Castiel rolled his eyes, but he smiled. “You should go, it’s getting late.”

“Yes, I know, but—” He took a deep breath and looked down at his hands. Dean was standing next to the horse and his hand was resting on Castiel’s thigh, caressing it. “I don’t want to leave,” he said, looking at Dean, who understood his feelings. “It is funny to think how I am a Prince and I have a lot of power, that I can do almost everything that I want, but I can’t have what I truly want. At least not yet.” He grabbed Dean’s hand and they intertwined their fingers. Dean gave him a reassuring smile, knowing Castiel’s situation. “Well, I will come back as soon as I can, I promise.”

“I know. I’ll be here.” He stood on the tips of his toes and Castiel leaned down, meeting him in a kiss. “Goodnight, Cas.”

Castiel smiled. “Goodnight, Dean.”

He rode away from him, knowing that he would come back, but hating having to part from him for another night again.

Sam rubbed his eyes and grunted. His eyes were sore and tired. When he pulled his hands from his face, he stared at his desk, covered with books filled with the laws of the country. The words seemed blurry under his exhausted eyes. He had been reading for weeks, trying to find a solution for Castiel’s problem, but he had found nothing. He wanted to find the way to help Castiel and Dean, and all those people that urgently needed the change of the laws, but he always ended up in a dead end.

Jess approached him and kissed the top of his head, making Sam smile. “You should take a rest,” she suggested with that soft but warning voice of hers. “You won’t find anything if you are this tired.”

“I know,” Sam mumbled, rubbing his face. With his eyes closed, he could see random words from the book he had been reading during the whole night. “But I want to find the solution.”

“You are as stubborn as dedicated,” Jessica said with a soft chuckle.

Sam sighed and dedicated her a soft smile before he passed the page of the book. He absently read the page, his eyesight aching for a rest, but some words caught his attention and Sam looked at the page with all his attention. “Oh my God,” Sam murmured, shocked. He read what he had found, carefully, paying attention to every single word. He grinned and looked at Jess, who was giving him a curious look. “I think I’ve just found it.”

Jess blinked perplexed and made an excited face. “You did? I knew you were going to find it eventually.”

“Yeah, I did. It’s not perfect, but it can work.” He opened the drawer of his desk and grabbed paper and an envelope. “I must write Dean.”

“I’ve got a letter from Sam!” Dean exclaimed the moment Castiel got into the kitchen.

Castiel looked at him with surprised eyes. If Sam had sent a letter to Dean, it meant that he had found something. “What does it say?” Castiel asked, approaching Dean.

“It says that he wants to meet as soon as you can because he has found something and he wants to discuss it,” Dean explained with a big grin.

Castiel made a thoughtful grimace, mentally remembering his agenda, looking for a day where he could freely leave the palace in order to come to Dean’s. “In two nights,” he said after a while. “I will be free in two nights.”

“Awesome.” Dean grinned and got his hands on Castiel’s hips, pulling him closer. Castiel immediately smiled and blushed at the contact and he rested his hands on Dean’s shoulders. “I’ll go to the city tomorrow and I’ll tell Sam and also Charlie.”

“Great.” He leaned and kissed him sweetly, melting into the wonderful kiss as he felt his plush lips against his.

“I wanna show you something,” Dean murmured when he pulled away. His lips were swollen and covered with saliva and Castiel liked that sight. He knew that his own lips looked the same and that Dean found joy in that sight too. “Come with me,” Dean added, grabbing Castiel’s hand and pulling him out of the kitchen.

Castiel followed him and they walked towards the studio. That room always smelled of paint and oil, mixed with the smell of the few flowers that Dean had inside. Castiel had become fond of that smell.

“I just started with the second layer,” Dean explained as they stopped in front of a painting that had just been started, but Castiel could recognize what Dean was painting, even if parts of it were blurry because Dean hadn’t added any details yet, but he recognized the place. “But it’s been years since I was there, so I was wondering if it’s as accurate as it should be.”

Castiel looked at the painting, noticing that Dean had turned his face to look at him, wanting to know his opinion. Castiel had his mouth parted, rapt by the landscape in the canvas. “It’s perfect, Dean,” he said with a breathy voice. “It is exactly how I remember it.” He could see the place where he and Dean went to take a swim; he could hear the sound of the breeze blowing in between the leaves of the trees and the sounds of the birds chirping. He could hear the sound of the river flowing, and he could see Dean and him taking a bath in its chilly water, laughing, kissing, touching, being happy and free.

“Cas, are you okay?” Dean asked concerned, cupping his face with one hand, turning it until their eyes could meet.

“Yes, I am.” He smiled and nodded and Dean’s worry seemed to disappear slightly, but he was still concerned. “Looking at your painting has brought me so many memories of our time together in that river. That’s all.” He leaned and kissed Dean, tenderly. “I can’t wait to see it finished.”

Dean smirked. “You’ll have to wait for that. I have to do a lot of details.”

“The waiting will be worth it.” He smiled and kissed him again. “Can we go to your bedroom?”

Once again, Dean smirked. “Is sex all you think about?” he teased.

Castiel glared him. “You are an assbutt, Dean.” Then, he pulled away from Dean and crossed his arms, defying him and looking pissed off, messing with Dean.

Dean laughed. “You’re worse than a kid, Cas.” He approached Castiel, giving him a cocky look, and before Castiel knew it, Dean lifted him and he was being held in Dean’s arms, as if he was a bride, forcing Castiel to get his arms around Dean’s neck, and Dean was making a smug and big grin. “You’re so cute when you pretend to be mad at me.”

“Let me go, Dean,” he muttered, feeling how his blush was making its way into his cheeks.

“You’re loving this, aren’t you?” Dean teased as he walked out of the studio, carrying Castiel in his arms.

Castiel made a frustrated groan. “I hate you so much.”

“Let me doubt that, Your Highness.”

Castiel shook his legs, trying to get away from Dean’s grip, but Dean held him tightly. “Mister Winchester, you are the fucking worst.”

Dean burst into a beautiful laughter, and Castiel couldn’t remain frustrated with him. That sound was beautiful and it always got right to his heart. “Love it when you swear.”

“Of course you love it,” Castiel said. He rolled his eyes but he smiled. They were already walking upstairs, well, Dean was. “I could get used to this, you know?” He caressed Dean’s nape, brushing his light brown hair.

Dean grinned. They had reached the bedroom and Dean dropped Castiel onto the bed, carefully, and Castiel laughed while Dean got onto him, kissing him as they both laughed. “You’re in such a good mood,” Dean said as he dropped several kisses onto Castiel’s face.

“I’m with you,” Castiel explained, smiling. “I’m always happy when I’m with you.”

Dean stopped his kisses and he gave Castiel a funny grimace. “You’re such a sap.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “And you are such an assbutt.” He leaned and kissed Dean, getting his arms around his back. As they kissed, Castiel managed to roll the two of them, reversing their positions, and Dean made a surprised gasp into their kiss before pulling away, giving Castiel an inquiring look. “I get to top tonight.”

“As Your Highness wishes.”

“Stop calling me that,” he hissed, glaring Dean.

“Why? Teasing you is so much fun, Your Highness.”

“Shut up, Dean.”

“Make me, Cas.”

Castiel kissed him fiercely and Dean moaned and moved his hands restlessly on his hair. When they pulled away, both of them were panting.

“If I’m gonna be kissed like that every time I call you Your Highness, I’m gonna do it all the time,” Dean said, still breathing hard.

Castiel made a frustrated grunt and closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Dean’s. “I don’t want to be Your Highness, Dean. I want to be Cas for you.” He hated it when people called him Your Highness, because he had to pretend to be someone he wasn’t. He knew that Dean was only teasing him, but he didn’t like hearing those two words coming from Dean’s mouth.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean whispered softly, cupping his face. Castiel opened his eyes. He knew he was being childish, because he knew Dean meant no harm. “It’s just teasing. You’ve always been Cas to me and you’ll always be. For me your aren’t the Prince, you’re Cas, that kid I met a long time ago and that I fell in love with because he is so fucking awesome.”

Castiel chuckled. “Stop it, Dean, you are making me blush. You are overrating me.”

“No, I’m not,” Dean said with an honest and sweet voice. He looked at him with those beautiful green eyes, full of love and care, and Castiel smiled. “I love Cas, not the Prince. I love the man you are when we’re alone, when you don’t have to be the Prince, not the man you’re forced to be.”

“That is a really nice compliment, Dean.”

“Well, I’ve got a sap side, too, thanks to you.”

Castiel chuckled and leaned into Dean’s touch. His heart felt happy.

“But if you don’t want me to keep calling you Your Highness, I will stop,” Dean said. “Don’t wanna do anything you don’t like.”

“Don’t worry,” Castiel said with a soft smile. “I know it is only teasing. You can keep teasing me with it.” He pressed a brief kiss on his beautiful lips, enjoying the soft hum the green eyed man let out. “But don’t overuse it,” he warned with both eyebrows raised.

“Your Highness should know better.”

Castiel laughed and he kissed Dean sweetly as he cupped his face. “Mister Winchester, you are exasperating and insufferable.”

“I think Your Highness prefers the term assbutt.”

Castiel laughed again before kissing Dean. He loved feeling Dean’s smile when they kissed. It was a wonderful feeling. Dean pressed him closer, until there was no space, deepening their kisses as their hands mapped each other’s bodies and they started to take off each other’s clothes slowly.

When Castiel was topless, Dean’s hands mapped his chest and his back, his freckled fingers spread warmth on his skin, touring his body with delicate caresses. Castiel did the same on Dean’s chest. He had so much skin to touch, and he was addicted to both touching Dean and being touched by him.

His hands found Dean’s pants and he took them off. Dean lifted his hips, helping him to take them off and Castiel threw them away, landing somewhere on the floor of the bedroom. Dean took Castiel’s pants then, tracing Castiel’s ass with his hands as he slid them down his legs. Their underwear came next, and they were soon completely naked, skin against skin, and it felt glorious.

They kept kissing and touching, until Castiel started to move his mouth to press kisses on Dean’s jaw. Dean closed his eyes and moaned, nailing Castiel’s scalp. Castiel continued praising Dean’s jaw with his mouth, reaching his earlobe and nibbling it, loving the way Dean moaned and lifted his hips. His fingers worked on Dean’s nipple, hardening it under his persistent touches. Castiel wanted to praise Dean’s body with his mouth and fingers; they had time.

His mouth traced down Dean’s neck, kissing it and licking it, feeling its saltiness. Dean tilted his head to the side, giving more room for Castiel’s mouth, something that made Castiel smirk. His mouth approached his throat and he felt Dean’s pulse under his lips. Dean shuddered when Castiel used his teeth there, moaning and groaning and he rolled his hips, rubbing his hard cock against Castiel’s.

Castiel looked at Dean as he descended his kisses on his chest. Dean looked beautiful and wrecked; his mouth was parted, his eyes were closed and his face was flushed. He didn’t take his eyes from his beautiful face when he started licking his nipple. Dean moaned Castiel’s name loudly, and it echoed in the room.

When he felt the nipple hard under his tongue, Castiel moved his mouth and left kisses on his torso as his hands traced down his sides. His mouth reached his stomach and Dean giggled. He forgot how ticklish he was. His hands reached Dean’s freckled thighs and he spread them. Dean was looking at him. His pupils were blown and he was panting; it made Castiel spurt some precome before he settled in between Dean’s legs and began kissing the inner of his thighs. Dean moaned and kept caressing Castiel’s hair.

In between Dean’s legs, Castiel had a perfect view of Dean’s ass and his rim. He looked at Dean briefly, who gave him a curious look, not knowing about Castiel’s intentions. Castiel approached Dean’s rim and he pressed a kiss there. Dean gasped and moaned slightly, so Castiel repeated the motion, and the grip Dean had on his hair became tighter, which meant that he was enjoying that. Without thinking it twice, Castiel licked his rim, and that time, Dean moaned really loud, so Castiel kept licking his rim, loving how Dean sounded with every press of his tongue.

Castiel moved his tongue along his lover’s rim and he decided to start loosening Dean’s hole with his tongue. Dean arched his back and rolled his hips, grinding into his tongue. Castiel smirked against his hole and flattened his tongue, fucking Dean with it, happy and aroused by the wonderful sounds Dean was letting out.

“Fuck, Cas— Cas, Cas, Cas,” Dean moaned.

Castiel kept working his tongue in and out of Dean, until he realized that he had to use his fingers to completely loose him. He pulled away, making Dean groan at the loss of his tongue, but Castiel shushed him with a sweet kiss as his hand looked for the lube in the drawer. He pulled away from Dean’s lips when he found the lube and he spread it on his fingers and on his cock. He kissed Dean again as he got three fingers inside him, and Dean groaned and moaned into it.

He loosened Dean, adding a fourth finger and stretching them inside Dean. He brushed his prostate and Dean moaned and closed his eyes, tilting his head up. Dean felt a lot of pleasure with that, but so did Castiel; he loved knowing that he could make Dean feel all those great things.

Castiel pulled his hand away, wiping it on the sheets. Dean immediately brought his legs around his waist and he pushed him down. Castiel settled in between Dean’s legs, aligning himself as he placed his hands on Dean’s shoulders. Dean rested his hands on his blades and they shared a sweet kiss before Castiel pushed inside him.

He closed his eyes and parted his lips as he slid inside Dean. Dean was warm and tight around him and it was maddening. When he was fully buried inside him, Castiel groaned and breathed hard, resting his forehead against Dean’s. This was the second time he was inside Dean, but it still felt as overwhelming as the first time.

“Cas,” Dean said, caressing his face. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Castiel answered, nodding. He exhaled sharply and opened his eyes to look at Dean. He tentatively rolled his hips and the two of them groaned. “Fuck,” he moaned.

He rolled his hips again, thrusting into Dean’s wonderful heat and tightness and the two of them moaned loudly. Dean kissed him and caressed his back. Castiel began to roll his hips steadily, finding a perfect rhythm and everything started to feel even better. He trusted in and out of Dean with a perfect rhythm that matched Dean’s roll of hips. He aimed for Dean’s sweet spot and it earned him a wonderful moan and a wonderful tight clench around him that left him moaning and gasping.

Dean changed the angle a little and they moaned louder, feeling more pleasure. Castiel kissed him as his hips rolled, thrusting in and out of Dean, almost on their own, his cock hitting that spot that made the two of them see stars behind their eyelids. Dean pressed their chests closer, moaning Castiel’s name beautifully and at the same time it was obscene, but Castiel loved it. He knew that he was moaning Dean’s name in the same way.

Castiel increased his pace, getting balls deep inside Dean, desperate to feel him closer, and Dean was as desperate as him; he was grinding into him, clenching so tight that Castiel’s body trembled above him. Dean rolled his hips, fucking into his cock, looking for that wonderful sensation, tilting his head and closing his eyes, nailing Castiel’s back. Castiel buried his face in the crook on Dean’s neck, breathing into his sweaty skin.

It was always too much, but it was wonderful. Castiel kept fucking Dean, feeling how his orgasm was quickly building inside him. It only took him to hit Dean’s sweet spot and he came inside him with a moan and a cry, saying Dean’s name. He kept rolling his hips as he came inside Dean, filling him with his warm come. Dean came a moment after him, moaning his name deliciously.

Castiel felt his body gave up when he was done and he collapsed onto Dean. He rolled his hips one more time, lazily, feeling how Dean was finishing coming, painting their stomachs. Castiel was sated but exhausted, and he didn’t know how to breathe anymore; he didn’t know how he was breathing at all. He was sure they had died and they were in Heaven.

Dean caressed his back, softly but lazily. He was breathing hard too. His legs had slid off from Castiel, but his arms were still around him, holding him and caressing him. He pressed a kiss to Castiel’s hairline and it made Castiel smile. This was all Castiel wanted. He sighed, contently, still buried in the warmth and tightness of his lover, joined together.

“Why do I feel so tired?” Castiel asked in a whisper. “I feel as if every bone of my body had been taken away and my muscles weren’t responding.”

“It happens during the first times,” Dean answered. His fingers were drawing doodles on Castiel’s shoulder and it relaxed him. “Your libido isn’t used to this amount of stamina.”

Castiel chuckled and he began to caress Dean’s side, feeling the shapes of his muscles, buried under his freckled skin. “You sound like a doctor.” His words made Dean chuckle. “I should move,” He began to say as he started to pull away from Dean, hating the loss of his feeling around him. He felt less tired than the first time he fucked Dean, but he was still tired. “I’m in good shape,” he kept saying as he lay onto Dean again. “I shouldn’t be this tired.”

“Next time you won’t be this tired,” Dean assured. He rolled the two of them and then he left the bed. “I’m gonna get a cloth to clean us, okay?”

“Okay,” Castiel hummed. He watched Dean leave towards the bathroom and he grinned as he saw his come dipping from Dean’s ass, falling onto his thighs. He loved that sight. “I could get used to see you like that,” he said before Dean left the bedroom.

Dean turned his face and gave Castiel a confused look. “Naked?”

Castiel chuckled. “Naked and with my come on you.”

Dean blushed and smirked. “Of course you would,” he said as he shook his head, laughing.

Castiel smiled and sighed. He waited for Dean to come back from the bathroom. It didn’t take him too long. He had cleaned his ass from Castiel’s come and he was soon back in the bed, lying aside next to Castiel and cleaning the mess of his come on his belly.

“How did you come up with the tongue thing?” Dean asked suddenly. Castiel knitted his eyebrows together, not knowing what Dean was talking about. “Y’know, kissing and licking my rim.”

Castiel blushed. “I wanted to kiss you there,” he answered casually. Dean smirked. “You seemed to enjoy it.”

“So fucking much, in fact.” He put the cloth on the bedside table and he pressed his chest against Castiel’s side, putting his leg on top of Castiel’s and placing his arm on Castiel’s chest, his hands caressing it. Castiel got his arm around Dean’s back, resting his hand on his shoulder, pressing him closer. Dean sighed happily and nuzzled Castiel’s neck. “I could be like this forever.”

“Me too,” Castiel said, happily. “But I can’t.”

“You were supposed to only say ‘me too’.”

Castiel frowned and gave Dean a confused look. “Why?”

Dean rolled his eyes and shook his head. “So fucking literal.” He sighed. “Just forget it.” Castiel wanted to ask about it, but Dean kept talking. “Nobody at the palace has noticed that you go out more than usually?”

“No,” Castiel answered. He began to stroke Dean’s shoulder, tracing doodles on it. “Everybody knows how much I like going out during the night with my horse. The problem will come next week. Meg is coming to spend some time at the palace and I won’t be able to sneak out as much as I would like to.”

Dean moved his head and looked at Castiel. “I thought she lived in the palace.”

“No, she doesn’t. She won’t move completely until we get married. Most of the time she is in her hometown. She doesn’t enjoy the capital. Which I truly appreciate, because it allows me to see you quite often. And I also don’t have to put up with her continuous efforts to seduce me.” She hadn’t tried to get physical with him, but still, Castiel didn’t like how Meg tried to win him over. He didn’t feel a thing about her, but Meg was always trying to make him feel something towards her.

“Should I be jealous?” Dean asked. He tried to sound casual, but Castiel knew that he didn’t like having Meg around Castiel.

“Of course not,” Castiel said, looking at Dean with an obvious look. “I love you, not her. Any attempt of hers to make me develop feelings for her is useless.” He caressed Dean’s jaw and kissed him.

“Okay.” He sighed and rested his chin on Castiel’s shoulder. He looked at his hand, which was caressing Castiel’s naked chest. Castiel watched the motion, too. “I want to draw you now.”

“Now?” Castiel asked, surprised.

“Yeah,” he said, looking at Castiel with hopeful eyes. “I want to draw you naked in my bed. For how long can you stay here?”

“I still have time,” Castiel answered.

“So, can I draw you?”

“Of course.”

Dean smiled and kissed him. He got up and approached a desk he had in his bedroom. He grabbed a charcoal and paper and he put them onto the bed while he got a chair and placed it next to the bed. “Lie aside,” Dean said as he sat down on the chair and grabbed his drawing material.

Castiel did as he was told. He lay aside, placing one hand under the pillow while the other rested above his thigh. “Like this?”

“Yeah,” Dean answered with a beautiful smile and he began to draw.

“It feels strange posing naked for you,” Castiel commented.

“Are you feeling shy, Cas?” he asked with a teasing voice.

Castiel rolled his eyes and flushed. “A little.”

“You just fucked me with your tongue shamelessly and now you’re shy because you’re posing naked?” He lifted his eyes from his drawing and he gave Castiel a sassy look. “It sounds nonsense to me.”

Castiel glared him. “It is different.” He didn’t know why it was different, but it felt like it. “I don’t know why.”

“You’ve always been weird,” Dean said with a beautiful smile.

Castiel mirrored that smile. “Why did you decide to draw me naked now?”

“Because you look fucking beautiful when you’re naked. And I’ve been wanting to draw you like this for a while.” As he talked, he didn’t stop drawing. Castiel always liked that. Dean could be talking and his concentration never abandoned the drawing. “Besides, it’s been an eternity since I last drew you in charcoal.”

“Technically, when you did my portrait in oil, first you had to make the sketch with charcoal.”

Dean glared him. “That was a sketch, not a drawing, you smartass.”

Castiel chuckled and looked at the Dean. He always enjoyed watching him draw.

“I used to draw sketches of your face after you left Esomal,” Dean murmured. Castiel parted his lips, a bit startled. “With every year that passed I started to forget some features of your face. But I never forgot the shape or the color of your eyes. I got frustrated every time that I drew your face and it did not longer look like yours.”

Castiel swallowed. “Dean, I—” he stated to say, but he didn’t know what to say.

“You don’t have to say anything, Cas,” Dean said with a smile. “I just wanted to tell you that.” He shrugged casually and looked at Castiel’s body, looking at the shapes and lines of his body, wanting to draw them perfectly.

“I used to think about how things would have gone if Father hadn’t found us,” Castiel confessed. His words made Dean lift his eyes. “I tended to fall asleep thinking about us, about all the things we could have lived together if he hadn’t discovered us. I always wanted to run away and meet you in that forest and live there.” He felt his eyes getting glassy and he looked up; he didn’t want to cry. He took a deep breath. “I wish things weren’t as complicated as they are.”

Dean sighed. “I wish that too, Cas.” There was a silence in between them. Castiel looked at the pillow, trying to ease the pain in his heart. He knew that Dean was looking at him, worried. “I’ve gotta let you know something important,” Dean began to say, and Castiel looked at him. “I’m enjoying drawing your cock way too much.”

Castiel burst into a laugh. Dean always managed to make him laugh in his saddest moments. Dean was laughing too, and everything felt nice again. “You are unbelievable, Dean,” he said in between chuckles.

“You know I’d do anything just to make you smile.”

“I know.” He smiled. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Dean said.

Dean kept drawing for a few more minutes. He only lifted his eyes from the paper to look at Castiel momentarily and then he kept drawing. Castiel watched him with a soft smile drawn on his lips.

“Alright,” Dean said when he was done. Castiel sat on the bed, eager to see Dean’s drawing. “What do you think?” he asked as he turned the paper, showing Castiel the drawing.

Castiel looked at it amazed. Dean had made an amazing job, like he always did. “Dean, it’s perfect,” Castiel said, touched. “It’s fucking perfect,” he added with a wide grin and Dean laughed brightly.

“Thanks, Cas.”

It had been years since Dean drew him in charcoal. Dean had gotten even better. Every line of his body was perfect. The expression of his face was accurate, and his hair looked like his. “You are the best artist of history, Dean.”

“Shut up,” he said, groaning and blushing. He stood up from the chair and put everything on its place. He grabbed a folder and opened it. Castiel stood up and walked towards him; he could see that Dean had more drawings in said folder. “You overrate me. You always have,” he said with embarrassment.

“I don’t and I have never done it,” Castiel said as he kissed Dean’s freckled shoulder. Dean huffed as he moved the drawings, suddenly, Castiel stopped him and looked at one drawing he knew; that was Dean’s first drawing of him. “You kept it.”

“Of course I kept it, Cas.” He grabbed all the drawings from the folder and he looked for the other drawings he did of Castiel. “I kept all of them.”

Castiel smiled happily at those drawings, memories of their time together in those woods coming to his mind. He looked at Dean and he kissed him. “You are so sweet.”

Dean rolled his eyes and grunted. “That’s terrible for my badass reputation.”

Castiel chuckled and watched how Dean put all the drawings back into the folder. He took a look at the window and looked at the moon. It was getting late and he had to go back to the palace. He kissed Dean’s shoulder again and walked towards his clothes.

“Time to go?” Dean asked when he turned around. He wanted to sound unaffected, but Castiel could detect some of his hurt.

“I’m afraid it is,” Castiel said with an apologetic face.

Dean nodded and started to get dressed as well. It didn’t take them too long. They were soon going downstairs and walking towards the kitchen. Castiel was about to open the door when Dean grabbed his wrist and stopped him. Castiel turned around to look at him, frowning and tilting his head to one side.

“Stay,” Dean said, desperate and hurt. “Just stay a little bit longer here.”

“Dean,” Castiel said with a devastated voice. With his free hand, he cupped Dean’s face, caressing his cheekbone. “I can’t, you know it. People will start suspecting if I arrive later than usually.”

“Then lie,” he begged, leaning into his touch. His hand brought Castiel closer and Castiel could see his glassy, green eyes better. “Please, just stay a little bit more.”

“Dean, we can’t be reckless.”

“I know, but—” He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against Castiel’s, inhaling sharply. “It doesn’t matter how old I am. I always hate watching you leave.”

“Dean,” he mumbled with a breathy voice. Dean opened his eyes and Castiel’s heart broke with Dean’s heartbreaking stare. “Dean, beloved,” he said, and Dean let out a shaky breath at the pet name. “We are taking too many risks, we can’t take more. You know I want to stay here as much as you want me to stay, but I can’t, it isn’t safe.”

Dean looked down and sighed. “Yeah, I know.” He grimaced and laced his fingers with Castiel’s, looking at their joined hands. “Can’t blame me for trying, huh?”

“Look at me, Dean.” He waited for Dean to lift his eyes to speak again. “I promise you that one day, I won’t have to leave. But we have to be patient.” He kissed him, passionately and breathtakingly.

“I love you, Cas.”

“And I love you, Dean.” He kissed him again, cupping his face with both hands as Dean got his on the small of his back, pulling him closer. When their lips parted from each other, they sighed. “I will see you in two nights, okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll tell Sam and Charlie to come.”

Castiel nodded. “Good.” He pulled away from Dean’s arms, hating the loss of his touch but still feeling the warmth of it. He looked at Dean, who was a bit sad; he couldn’t blame him; he felt the same. “I hate having to part, too, you know?”

Dean made a half smile. “Yeah, I know.” He sighed. “Your Highness should go before it is too late.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “You are frustrating, Mister Winchester.”

Dean smirked. “Then, why does Your Highness love me?”

Castiel softened his eyes. “Because Mister Winchester is the most fascinating and extraordinary human being I have ever known. Despite of being exasperating.”

Dean laughed. “Goodnight, Cas.”

“Goodnight, Dean.”

Castiel opened the door and left the house. His heart ached. It always did when he had to leave.

“He must be about to arrive,” Dean said to Sam and Charlie. The three of them were in the kitchen, waiting for Castiel to arrive. His brother and his friend always came sooner than the meeting time, which was something good, but Castiel always came when he could, and that was never an exact hour.

“Don’t worry,” Charlie said as she drank her tea. “We know he’s busy. He will show up when he can.”

Sam hummed in agreement. “We don’t have any rush.”

Dean looked thought the kitchen’s window, waiting for Castiel and his horse to appear, but everything was quiet outside. He knew that Castiel was going to come, but he was impatient. He wanted to know what Sam had found. His little brother hadn’t revealed anything about it, and the waiting was killing Dean.

Suddenly, Dean heard Castiel’s horse in the distance. He looked through the window again and he saw Castiel tying it to the willow before walking towards the house. He got the key inside the door and opened it, stepping inside.

“Hello,” Castiel said with a polite smile. “I’m sorry for my delay.”

“Don’t worry, Cas,” Sam said with a smile.

“Hey,” Dean said, approaching Castiel and pressing a brief kiss on his lips. It made Castiel blush. “Want some tea?”

“Yes, please,” Castiel answered. Dean nodded and served his lover some tea on a cup while he sat down. Dean brought the cup of tea to the table and sat down next to Castiel, who thanked him the tea. “I believe you have good news, right Sam?” Castiel asked before taking a sip of his tea.

“I found something. It is an old law, but it’s still valid,” Sam began to say. He leaned a little on the table, a gesture that Dean knew his brother did when he wanted everyone to pay attention to what he was about to say. “When a King dies, the next one can propose modifying an existing law that hasn’t been modified during the last fifty years.”

Castiel looked at Sam with wide eyes, delighted by it. “Is that true?”

“Yeah, it is. So once you become King, you can modify all the laws that haven’t been modified for that period of time. This law was written a couple of centuries ago in order to adapt to the new times.”

Castiel hummed. “But I will still need the fifty percent of the parliament’s support, right?”

“Yes, but get this,” Sam said really excited. “If the leader of the parliament agrees with that change of a law, all his party will have to agree with him.”

“And Zachariah’s party,” Charlie began to say. “Consists on a forty eight percent. The opposite party consists on a thirty five. And those regarded as the rebel parties consist on a seventeen percent, which will fully support those changes. As long as Zachariah’s party supports it too, you will have a sixty five percent of support.”

“Exactly,” Sam said. “Also, you won’t have to wait a week to change another law. You can change as many as you like, as long as they haven’t been modified in that period of time.”

Dean was excited about the news. “That’s awesome!”

“Yes, but the problem lies on how to convince Zachariah,” Castiel said with a frown. “He is conservative, and even though he likes and supports the crown, he won’t be glad about the laws I want to change.”

“I have found some nasty business he holds,” Charlie said with a grimace. “But I don’t have solid evidence. I will still need time to find something that truly incriminates him and that you can use to blackmail him. For now I have managed to get all the support from the rebel side, which is a lot.”

Castiel smiled. “Yes, it is. Thank you for that, Charlie.”

Dean made a thoughtful grimace and looked at Charlie. “What if you had some proof of Zachariah going to the sin district, more specifically to a brothel that Crowley owns.”

Both Sam and Charlie looked at Dean with surprise while Castiel gave him a confused frown.

Dean stood up and walked towards where he had saved the paper with the names he and Ash wrote down that night when they went to the sin district. “I went to the sin district with Ash,” Dean began to explain. He grabbed the piece of paper and put it in front of Charlie before sitting down. “He told me about that brothel and about the parliament members that come to have sex with men, more specifically minors.” He made a disgusted sound at the last word. Prostitution was bad, but it was even worse when minors were working on the sex business. “And guess what?” Dean added with a smug face. “Zachariah came there.”

“Amazing,” Charlie said really impressed. “I can work with this. I will need to catch him any other time, but I can work with this list.”

“How did you come up with that?” Sam asked perplexed.

“You make me sound as if I were dumb, Sammy,” Dean snapped.

Sam chuckled. “You aren’t dumb, Dean. But this is really clever and juicy.”

Dean shrugged. “I wanted to help as much as I could.”

Castiel kissed his cheek and Dean felt his face blushing. “Thank you, Dean.”

“Well,” Charlie said with a happy grin, folding the paper and putting in her pocket. “I will work on this, and also I will try to convince some members of the opposite party to support these changes. I know a couple of them that will agree. The more the better.”

“Yes, thank you so much for your efforts, Charlie. And thank you Sam for yours, too,” Castiel said, really glad.

“No problem,” Sam said. “I got you this,” he added as he handed him a book. Castiel grabbed it and gave it a curious look. “That’s where I found about that law. You should read it to know how to deal with all the legal and political stuff. I’m pretty sure you’re aware of most of it, but it doesn’t hurt to know a little bit more.”

“Thank you so much, Sam. I will read it as soon as possible.”

“I believe it’s our time to go, right, Sam?” Charlie asked as she stood up.

Sam stood up as well. “Yeah.”

Castiel stood up, too, because he was that polite, and Dean found himself standing up. “Once again, thank you for all your hard work,” Castiel said, bowing his head. “And also, thank you, Dean.”

“I just spied some guys, I didn’t do anything important,” Dean said, casually.

“Dean,” Charlie said. “You don’t have any idea about how freaking important that list is. Without it, the chances of convincing Zachariah were low. Now, thanks to you, we have the leverage we were desperately seeking.”

“Charlie’s right,” Sam and Castiel said at the same time, and Dean couldn’t help chuckling.

Both Dean and Castiel said goodbye to Sam and Charlie, agreeing to keep in touch if anything new happened. Once they left the kitchen, Dean and Castiel sat down on the chairs again, and Castiel sighed, relieved, and Dean placed his hand on the small of his back, caressing him soothingly.

“You okay?” Dean asked a bit worried.

“Yes, I am,” Castiel answered with a soft smile. “We can change things, finally.” He sounded touched and relieved. Dean understood him; he was going to have a lot of power, but Castiel couldn’t change what he truly needed to change, but now he could. “Thanks to you, to Sam and to Charlie, we have the methods to change things. I know we will have to wait for the King’s decease, but—” He smiled and grabbed Dean’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “But this is happening.”

“Yeah, it is,” Dean said with a touched voice. He squeezed Castiel’s hand and kissed his forehead. “Now, we only have to wait.”

Castiel hummed and rested his head on Dean’s shoulder. “I feel as if the heavy weight I was carrying upon my shoulders had been lifted.” He sighed, tiredly but happily. Dean knew that for the first time in Castiel’s life as the Prince, something was going in the right direction. “I think this is the first time I feel slightly glad to be the Prince.”

Dean chuckled. “Everything will be okay, Cas, don’t worry.” He got Castiel into his arms, pulling him into a tight hug. Castiel immediately hugged him, burying his face in the crook of Dean’s neck, smiling against his skin as he fisted the back of Dean’s shirt. “We’ll be okay.”

Castiel smiled before kissing Dean’s neck. “I know, Dean. I know.”

For the first time in their lives, they truly believed it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, for the kudos, the bookmarks, the comments and the subscriptions :')

Meg’s presence in the palace had always been more or less bearable for Castiel. She sometimes tried to spend more time with Castiel, or she made plans for them to do something together, or she would take him somewhere, or she would buy something for him. Meg was always trying to get Castiel’s attention. Castiel had never showed any interest for her, and that frustrated Meg. Castiel tried to be polite with her and he wasn’t too disturbed by her presence, but something had changed.

Meg had arrived to the palace to spend some time, like she always did. But she was trying to get even closer to Castiel and was putting more efforts on being alone with Castiel, finding the lamer excuses to be with him. Castiel had always been aware of Meg’s sexual desire towards him, but Castiel didn’t feel anything towards her. Her failed attempts to make him develop some desire towards her were always a bit frustrating, but now they were being exasperating. Castiel wished to be alone, and more importantly, he wished to have a break so he could sneak from the palace and see Dean. It had been almost a week since he last saw him and he was dying to see him again. Dean knew that Meg was staying at the palace, which meant that Castiel couldn’t see him as often as he wished, but he had expected to visit him during the last nights.

Castiel sighed and rubbed his wet fingers on his tired eyes. The sound of his sigh sounded louder in the marble walls of the bathroom. He was taking a hot bath. The servants always added some oils that left a subtle smell of orange blossom that always relaxed Castiel. He liked the smell of that flower. He sighed again, the sound echoing in the walls and he slid further into the bathtub, letting the water cover his shoulders and soothe the ache of his muscles. He had been working on some paperwork and he had to deal with Meg, and his body and mind were drained.

He closed his eyes and let the hot water do its wonders, slowly relaxing him with the hot temperature and the smell of the orange blossom. He was so relaxed that he startled when somebody opened the door and got into the bathroom.

Castiel grunted and rolled his eyes. “What are you doing here?” he asked, pissed off, looking how Meg walked towards the bathtub. He didn’t like being naked in front of her, but he made no move of covering himself. He knew that she would find any attempt of covering himself interesting or cute.

Meg smirked. She stood in front of him and started playing his the lapels of the purple, silk robe she was wearing. “Relax, Clarence,” she said with her soft and smug voice.

“Stop calling me Clarence. You know that my name is Castiel,” he muttered, quite angry. He didn’t know why she called him Clarence when they were alone. “I would like to finish taking my bath alone.”

Meg’s lips turned into a wicked smirk and Castiel really disliked it. “Are you sure?”

Before Castiel could say anything, Meg took off her robe, revealing her naked body. Castiel frowned before he glared her. He didn’t know what her purpose was, but he didn’t like it. He had to admit that she had a nice body, that she had a body that any other man would desire, but Castiel wasn’t attracted to it. He loved the sharp and muscly curves of Dean’s body. Meg’s skin was pale and perfect like the finest porcelain, but he loved the freckled skin of Dean’s body, slightly tanned in the places where the sun had caressed his skin. Meg’s thighs were meaty but slender, but Dean’s thighs were thick and strong and he loved those. Meg’s whole body was the opposite of Dean’s, and no mattered how long he stared at her, he did not feel anything.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to join you?” Meg asked with a flirtatious voice. She moved her fingers towards her breast and she began to touch her nipple, hardening it under her touch.

“Yes, I am sure,” Castiel snapped, irritated. Meg was trying to arouse him, but she was making him uncomfortable.

She chuckled, and it made Castiel glare her. Somehow, she found the situation amusing. “Come on, Clarence, you should live a little.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “I should be enjoying taking a bath alone, but you seem determined to disturb it.”

“A bath is more enjoyable when two people are taking it,” she said with a big smirk. She kept toying her nipple while her other hand started to trace down her body, slowly, until her fingers reached the inside of her thighs. She slightly spread her legs, allowing her fingers to get inside her cunt, moving them up and down, slowly fucking herself into them. “Come on, Clarence, don’t tell me a bath isn’t better with this.”

Castiel kept glaring her, feeling more uncomfortable the longer the scene went. “No, it isn’t,” he muttered, making sure of saying each word with all the anger he felt. He felt sick by looking at how Meg masturbated in front of her. “I won’t repeat it again, leave me alone.”

She looked at him with incredulous eyes before she looked at his cock. “You aren’t even hard,” she said, huffing a grunt. She stopped touching herself and placed her hands on the edge of the bathtub, looking at him closely. “Don’t tell me you are one of those men that only get hard with another cock.”

Castiel dedicated her his deadliest glare and he saw her eyes flinching a little. He didn’t get hard with just another cock, he only got hard with Dean. But he couldn’t tell her that. “I’m one of those men that only get hard when he is interested. And in case you didn’t notice, I’m not interested in you.”

Meg grunted another huff. “Unbelievable.” She grabbed her robe and put it on, walking towards the door, and Castiel felt glad that she was leaving. “I’m going to get married to a sissy.”

“Watch out your tongue, Meg,” Castiel warned with a calm but fierce voice. Meg turned around and gave him a challenging look. “You shouldn’t piss me off.”

“Or what? What are you going to do?”

“In case you have forgotten it, I’m the Prince of Arpret, and any kind of insult towards me can be punished. And I can promise you that I can destroy the reputation of your family and snatch you from your title until you become nobody.” He knew he could do it and he would gladly do it. He wasn’t bluffing and he made sure that Meg could realize it by the way he spoke and the way he was looking at her.

She gave him a last glare and left the bathroom without saying a single word, clearly pissed at him. When the door closed, Castiel grunted and slid down into the water, immersing his head. He remained in the water for a few seconds until he emerged again, wiping off the water from his face. He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling tired and irritated by Meg’s behavior. He had never been more disgusted and repulsed than in that moment.

Castiel finished his bath and got dressed before going down to have dinner. Meg was there and they didn’t exchange a single word. The King used to have dinner in his bedroom; he was too tired and sick to have dinner with them, and Castiel thanked it, because he knew that his uncle would have commented about the tense silence in between Castiel and Meg.

When Castiel finished his dinner, he excused himself and went to the stables. Meg and him were pissed off at each other, and he knew that everyone in the palace had noticed, so they would find normal that Castiel wanted to go out on his horse to clear his mind. He needed to see Dean urgently. He needed to remove that uncomfortable and disgusted feeling Meg produced him in the bathroom.

He rode his horse faster than usually. He needed to leave the palace as far as possible. Emmanuel was a great horse and it responded to him perfectly, riding faster than usually though the woods, decelerating when Dean’s house could be seen in the distance.

Castiel tied his horse around the branch of the willow and he ran towards Dean’s house, opening the kitchen door with the key Dean gave him. He found Dean in the kitchen, drying a plate he must have used for his dinner. Dean smiled when he saw him, but he noticed that something was going on with Castiel.

“Cas, are—?” Dean began to ask, but before he could finish his question, Castiel threw himself into Dean’s arms and hugged him tightly, fisting the back of his shirt and burying his face in his shoulder. Dean immediately hugged him back, holding him tightly. “Cas, what’s wrong?” he asked, really worried.

“I need you,” Castiel said. He felt safe in Dean’s arms. The dark feeling he felt eventually disappeared by only being in Dean’s arms, by having his body pressed against his, by his characteristic smell and by his voice.

“I’ve got you, Cas, I’ve got you,” Dean whispered into his hair, and he began to caress his back, calmly. “I’m here, don’t worry.”

Dean kept whispering gentle words to him while he held him. It helped Castiel a lot. He pulled his face from Dean’s shoulder after a while and he looked at him with fond eyes. He cupped Dean’s face and kissed him softly. He let out a shaky breath when their lips were no longer kissing, and he pressed their foreheads together.

“Can we—?” Castiel began to say, shuddering. “Can we go upstairs? I need you tonight, Dean.”

Dean gave him a worried look. “Are you sure? You don’t seem to be—”

Castiel nodded. “I need you. Please.”

“Okay, Cas.” He grabbed his hand and they went upstairs, to Dean’s bedroom.

They kissed slowly and tenderly as they walked towards the bed. They fell onto the bed delicately, being Castiel the one with his back pressed against the mattress. This is what he needed, to have Dean onto him, to be wrapped under his body. He cupped his face and looked at him with devotion and love and kissed him passionately, feeling Dean’s hands caressing his hair.

Dean slowly started to take off his clothes. His hands were sure but gentle; they always were when he touched Castiel. Eventually, Castiel started to take off Dean’s clothes, in the same way Dean did with his. Their clothes ended up onto the floor, scattered in a mess they didn’t care about. They were soon naked, skin against skin, kissing and touching, and that was what mattered to them.

Castiel held Dean, pushing him down, removing the awful space in between their bodies. He always needed to have Dean as close as humanly possible, and Dean always got closer. He kissed him deeply, making Castiel moan. His freckled hands mapped Castiel’s body, softly, taking his time to feel the shapes of his body, stroking his tanned skin tenderly. They reached the inner of Castiel’s thighs and Dean spread his fingers, stroking the sensitive skin, making Castiel gasp.

Dean began to kiss his jaw and Castiel closed his eyes and tilted his face to the side, giving more room for Dean, enjoying his lips and tongue on his skin. His lover’s hand reached his rim and his thumb stroked the sensitive part, making Castiel shudder under his solid body.

“Dean,” Castiel moaned, almost desperately. Dean repeated the motion, and Castiel rolled his hips, seeking friction. He loved feeling Dean’s hard cock against his. “Dean,” he moaned again.

The painter got his mouth back to Castiel’s and they kissed, deeply and passionately. His other hand abandoned Castiel’s body to look for the lube. When he had found it, he pulled away and spread lube on his fingers and on his cock, and Castiel watched him. Dean leaned onto him and kissed him as he got one finger inside him. Castiel hummed at the feeling and rolled his hips, grinding into it. Dean added a second finger easily, and it made Castiel moan and groan.

As Dean worked his fingers inside Castiel, he left a trail of kisses on his neck. Castiel moved his hand on Dean’s hair, petting it and tugging it when Dean’s fingers brushed his prostate. He had four fingers inside him, stretching him and touching that wonderful spot and Castiel felt his body trembling at the same time it moved on its own, looking for that addicting feeling.

Dean pulled his fingers out, wiping them clean on the sheets. He kissed Castiel’s face and the Prince made happy, little moans. Dean settled in between his legs and he grabbed them, caressing his thighs sweetly as he guided them towards his waist. Castiel wrapped his legs around it, pulling Dean towards him and getting his arms around his back. They shared a sweet kiss and pressed their foreheads together when Dean slid inside him.

Castiel closed his eyes and groaned. He loved that wonderful burn. Dean was hard and thick inside him and he removed that terrible emptiness from him. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding when Dean was fully settled inside him. He opened his eyes and looked at Dean, who was panting like he was. He brought his hand to Dean’s cheek and caressed his face before they kissed again.

Dean began his thrusts and Castiel pressed the back of his head against the pillow, moaning Dean’s name loudly and digging his nails on Dean’s blade as his hips rolled with Dean’s, matching his rhythm. He grinded onto him, fucking into his cock. Their movements were sweet and slow, and Castiel felt really loved. Whenever they had sex, he always felt loved, but tonight he felt it even more, because Dean knew he needed it.

Castiel kissed him again, never stopping his thrusts. Dean’s cock touched his sweet spot and he moaned, loudly, and clenched around Dean, who moaned really loud too. Their bodies trembled, but they held each other. Castiel’s other hand kept cupping Dean’s face and his fingers brushed his short hair, and Dean leaned onto the touch before he kissed his lips.

Dean kept moving inside Castiel, making sweet love to him, thrusting in and out of him, his cock aiming for that sweet spot that made Castiel fall over the edge. He tried to keep his eyes open; he wanted to look at Dean’s beautiful green eyes, to let himself get lost in that forest of his. His eyes were looking at him with so much love and Castiel knew he was looking at him in the same way. They had to close them when the pleasure was too high, and Castiel tilted his head up, exposing his throat and Dean kissed that spot. He knew he wanted to suck into his skin, to leave a mark that everybody could see, but they couldn’t do that.

He rolled his hips a little bit harder, changing his angle a little, and Dean got his hand on the small of Castiel’s back, lifting him a little, and he slid into Castiel easily, his cock hitting that wonderful spot with every roll of his hips. Castiel clenched around him, loving how Dean moaned his name and how his body squirmed above him every time he did that. He felt his cock twitching in between their stomachs, and he felt Dean’s cock twitching inside him. They were close, really close.

It only took Dean another thrust that touched that spot that made Castiel moan and arch his back from the bed, clenching tightly around Dean’s thick and long cock and Dean came inside him, and Castiel followed him a second later, moaning Dean’s name into the side of his face, holding him tightly, feeling how Dean still fucked him during their releases, until both of their bodies couldn’t hold on for more and they collapsed.

Castiel wanted to keep his legs wrapped around Dean’s waist, but they felt sore and he needed to stretch them, but he kept Dean in his arms, with his face pressed against the side of his lover’s face, breathing into his sweaty skin. Dean’s raggedy breath caressed his neck, it felt warm and wet.

Dean kissed him, slowly but fondly as he cupped his face. Castiel held onto him tighter, kissing him deeply, loving the press of Dean’s lips against his. Dean pulled away from him as they kissed, and Castiel grunted at the loss. He felt cold and empty without Dean inside him.

Dean moved away and grabbed a cloth from the drawer. Castiel wondered when he put it there, but he didn’t ask. He let Dean clean his hole, as delicate as he always was, and then Dean cleaned the mess of Castiel’s come on their bellies before he lay onto Cas again and he began to kiss his shoulder.

“Wanna talk about what happened?” Dean asked as he pressed sweet, tiny kisses onto Castiel’s skin, slowly going up to his neck.

Castiel closed his eyes and sighed. “Meg,” he started to explain. He felt Dean’s kisses stop and he opened his eyes to look at him, finding him frowning. Castiel took a deep breath and caressed Dean’s hair, loving the way his hair brushed his fingers. “I was taking a bath and she got into the bathroom and started to masturbate in front of me. It was really uncomfortable and unpleasing. She didn’t leave me alone until she saw I wasn’t hard, which made her furious and she asked me if I were into men.”

“Holy crap,” Dean said, both worried and shocked. “Are you okay?” He got his hand on Castiel’s cheek and moved his thumb soothingly.

Castiel smiled and placed his hand on top of Dean’s as he leaned on the touch. “I am now.” He exhaled sharply and closed his eyes briefly, focusing on Dean’s touch. “But she made me feel disgusted and angry. I kept telling her to leave me alone and I kept glaring her, but she didn’t want to go, and I was furious and I felt more uncomfortable than in my whole life.”

“Hey,” Dean said softly, making their eyes meet. “You’re here with me now. We’re here together, Cas. Forget about her. Everything’s good now.”

Castiel smiled and kissed Dean, sweetly. “I’m sorry for coming here and almost demanding for sex,” he said, embarrassed.

“You needed it,” Dean murmured with a soft smile. He went back to kissing the curve of his neck and Castiel sighed contently. “I’m here for anything you ever need, Cas.” He pressed more kisses under his jaw and Castiel let out a soft moan. “Although next time you should explain me what’s wrong because I was really worried.” He gave Castiel an obvious look, and Castiel blushed. He was about to apologize again, but Dean pressed his index finger onto his lips. “You don’t have to be sorry, Cas.”

Castiel nodded. “Still—”

“Don’t,” he warned with a soft voice and Castiel smiled.

Castiel cupped his face and kissed him. “I needed to feel you close, you know? I have been trying to get away from the palace for days, but I couldn’t. I really needed to see you again.” As he talked, he caressed Dean’s hair. “It’s been too long.”

“After spending fifteen years apart, I would say that less than a week isn’t that long,” Dean sassed.

“You are an assbutt, Dean,” Castiel muttered, trying to suppress a smile, but failing. “Although I have to admit that you have a point.”

“I’m always right, you know it.”

Castiel gave him a funny grimace. “You wish.”

“That hurts, Your Highness!” he exclaimed, pretending to be mad at him.

Castiel laughed and Dean grinned. He looked at Dean with a tender look and cradled his face in his hands. “I love you so much.”

Dean’s grin became wider. “And I love you so fucking much.”

They kissed again and they held each other tightly, pressing their bodies until there wasn’t any inch in between them. “When I change the laws, will you marry me?” Castiel asked into Dean’s neck, whispering the words.

“Of course I will, Cas.”

Castiel sighed happily and held Dean tighter.

Dean heard a carriage approaching his house. He was talking with one of his regular customs, Lady Visyak, one of the few nobles that Dean didn’t want to punch in their face, and he was handing her servant the panting she had ordered him, when Castiel entered into the studio.

“Your Highness!” Lady Visyak exclaimed surprised, bowing in front of him.

Dean looked perplexed at him and bowed his head, following what protocol required of him. “Your Highness,” Dean said, wondering what Castiel was doing in his studio in daylight.

“Mister Winchester, Lady Visyak,” Castiel said, politely. He also bowed his head to the servant. “I will wait until your business with Lady Visyak finishes, Mister Winchester.”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness,” she said with an amiable smile. “We have just finished. Mister Winchester was handing me the painting I ordered.” She drew apart from the servant so Castiel could see the painting. Dean didn’t miss the way Castiel’s eyes lighted as he looked at the painting. “Mister Winchester is an incredible artist.”

“He is without a doubt the best artist of history,” Castiel said, looking at Dean with a soft look.

Dean blushed. “Your Highness is very kind.”

“Well, we must part,” she said with another cordial smile. “Good day. Your Highness. Mister Winchester.”

“Lady Visyak,” Dean and Castiel said at the same time.

They watched her and her servant leave and Dean waited until the front door closed before he talked to Castiel. “What are you doing here?” Dean asked perplexed. He looked out of the window, seeing that Castiel’s carriage was no longer there.

“I told in palace that I was going to see Mister Winchester because I wanted to order a painting,” Castiel explained as he pointed at the canvas where Dean was painting the river where they used to bath. “I needed an excuse to see you and given that everybody thinks that the last time I saw you was when you finished my portrait, I had to come here to let everyone believe I’m ordering you a painting because, once you finish the painting of the river, I can’t go back to palace with a painting that nobody knew I ordered.”

Dean chuckled and kissed him. “You’re so fucking smart,” he said, grinning, and Castiel blushed. “How much time do you have?”

“Only a couple of hours.”

Dean hummed. “Does Your Highness want to do anything special?”

Castiel glared him. “Yes, I wish for Mister Winchester to stop calling me Your Highness,” he muttered, really frustrated. Dean knew he should be intimidated, but he found it cute. “Don’t give me that ‘you are so cute’ look! I’m being harsh and bitter with you.”

Dean grinned and rested his hands on Castiel’s hipbones, approaching him. “Yeah, but I find that cute.”

The blue eyed man knitted his brows together. “Your definition of cuteness is strange.”

Dean chuckled. “Maybe.” He pecked his lips and then he walked towards the front door and locked it. They couldn’t risk leaving the door unlocked. Any customer could come in and find them doing something they weren’t supposed to be doing. “Whatever you plan on doing, we shouldn’t do it close to those windows.” He pointed at the ones in the front facade, the ones that could be seen from the road. “It’s daylight, after all.”

Castiel nodded and walked away from the studio. “What if some customer comes?”

“Usually they write me to let me know they’re coming,” Dean answered as they walked towards the back of the house. If they sat on the porch of the backyard garden, they would be safe. “I don’t expect anyone to come.” They reached the kitchen and Castiel smiled. Dean looked at him, confused. “Why are you smiling?”

“Because I always come here during the night,” he explained, still smiling and looking at the kitchen with bright eyes. “It is nicer with the morning light.”

Dean chuckled and opened the back door. “Then, I don’t know how you’re gonna react when you see the garden,” he teased, watching how Castiel’s face lighted up when he saw the garden in all its glory. The colors of all the plants were more vibrant under the bright sunlight.

Castiel walked towards the garden and Dean watched him from the stairs of the porch. He watched how his lover wandered through the small garden, admiring the beauty of every flower, of every bush, of every plant in his orchard. Cas always saw it during the night, when everything was dark, and the moonlight painted everything in blue colors, fading away the real beauty of Dean’s garden. But now, Castiel was able to see every color and every detail he couldn’t see whenever he was able to come to Dean’s house.

Since they were kids, Castiel had always loved nature and its colors. He knew a lot of stuff about plants and Dean had learnt so many things from his friend. Fifteen years had passed, but Castiel still was passionate about plants. Dean couldn’t help making a nostalgic smile. He was glad to know that some things didn’t change.

“Your garden is beautiful, Dean,” Castiel said with an emotional voice. He walked towards him and sat on the steps of the porch, next to Dean.

“Thanks, Cas,” Dean said, kissing his temple. “But I bet the one in the palace is more beautiful.”

“It is beautiful,” he said, sighing. “But it doesn’t have the warmth of yours.” He looked at the climbing plant that swirled around the wooden beam and he touched its lilac flowers with his fingers. “Your garden doesn’t have fences. The garden in the palace is just a way to create an illusion of freedom, but I’m still trapped in there.”

Dean felt each of Castiel’s words sink in his heart and he felt an ache. He looked at Castiel’s face and saw sadness in it. All his life, Castiel had been forced to live a life he didn’t want to, to wear a mask and pretend. The only times he was free, was when he was with Dean, because he could be who he truly was. Dean didn’t know how hard it was for his friend and lover, but he knew Cas had to carry a heavy load upon his shoulders.

“Hey,” Dean said, bringing his thumb and index finger to Castiel’s chin, tilting his face so their eyes could meet. “You’re free with me.”

Castiel smiled, softly. Dean knew Castiel only smiled like that when he was with him. “I have always been free with you.”

They kissed, softly and tenderly, under the warm rays of the sun. It felt good to be able to do that during the day. Castiel kissed him deeply, placing his hand on Dean’s jaw, and Dean buried his fingers in the dark mess of Castiel’s hair, kissing him, getting lost on each other’s mouths. When they pulled away, they smiled at each other and kept looking at the garden. Castiel placed his hand on tops of Dean’s and they laced their fingers together.

“Your garden is truly beautiful,” Castiel said again.

“Don’t you mean fucking beautiful?” Dean teased.

Castiel turned his face to look at Dean and glared him, but Dean only smirked. “Watch out your vocabulary, Dean,” he muttered, kicking his leg.

Dean laughed. “Or what? You’re gonna kick me again?” He gave him a cocky look, but he didn’t expect the rogue smirk that appeared on Castiel’s lips and that challenging look. Dean knew what he was about to do. “Don’t you dare.”

But Castiel started to tickle him and Dean ended up lying uncomfortably on the steps of the stairs, with Cas on top of him, moving his hands quickly onto Dean’s body, tickling him. They both laughed, and Dean squirmed under Castiel, trying to get free from his tight grip and his hands that were everywhere.

Dean managed to reverse their positions and Castiel looked at him with surprise and terror in his eyes briefly before Dean got his revenge and started tickling Cas, loving how he laughed and squirmed under him. Dean grined and moved his hands, remembering the most ticklish places of Castiel’s body, until Castiel grabbed his wrists and stopped him.

“I hate you so much,” Castiel said with a frustrated smile.

“Oh, yeah?” Dean asked, arching his brow. “Let me doubt that.” He leaned and they kissed again, smiling into the kiss. “Your Highness is a grown up adult, he shouldn’t start tickle wars.”

Castiel groaned and kicked Dean away, throwing him to the grass, and Dean burst into an uncontrollable laughter, lying onto the grass as he laughed like that. Castiel was laughing too, as loud and as uncontrollable as Dean. It had been decades since any of them had laughed that hard and for that long.

When Dean felt how his laughter began to fade away, he bent straight, still sitting on the grass, looking at Castiel, who was still sitting on the steps, in front of him. “When was the last time we laughed like this?” Dean asked.

“I think it was when you made your first portrait of me,” Castiel answered with a beautiful smile. “When I said it was fucking beautiful.”

Dean laughed again, this time softer. “Yeah. That was the first time I heard you swear.” He still remembered that moment. He was nervous because he had been wanting to draw Cas for a really long time and he wasn’t sure if Cas would like his drawing, but he loved it and he even praised it by using the word ‘fucking’. “You still don’t swear,” he added as he brought his knees to his chest and got his arms around his legs. “Except from when we fuck, but that’s a special occasion.”

Castiel flushed immediately and made a funny grimace. “Shut up, Dean.”

Dean chuckled. “So, I’m the only person who makes you swear?” he asked with a naughty smile.

“You know damn well that you are,” Castiel answered with a sassy voice, making Dean chuckle. Castiel stretched his leg and he began to softly kick Dean’s foot with his.

“You kind of like swearing,” Dean teased, using his foot to play with Castiel’s. He looked at the silly motion, smiling at it.

“Only sometimes. But mostly because it makes you smile.”

Dean looked at him, with soft eyes. “You’re a sap.”

Castiel shrugged, casually. “Always been. I don’t know why it still surprises you.”

The green eyed man made an agreement pout. Castiel stopped playing with Dean’s foot and he rested the side of his face on the handrail, without taking his eyes of Dean. “I missed this,” Dean said after a small pause. “Talking about silly stuff.”

Castiel grinned. “Me, too.”

“Tell me something random, Cas,” Dean prompted. He dragged his bottom onto the grass, getting closer to Cas, not caring about the stains his pants would get. After all, they had stains of oil painting.

Castiel made a thoughtful face and he sat one step lower, smiling brightly before he said, “Did you know that science has discovered that the brain of the bees ages in reverse?”

“What? Really?” Dean asked perplexed.

Castiel nodded and he began to talk about bees and many random facts he knew about those flying insects. Castiel was really passionate and happy while he talked about all the things he knew about the bees. Dean paid attention to every single word Castiel said, and he smiled with him, sharing his happiness and enthusiasm.

When Castiel finished talking about the bees, Dean began to tell him about some curious things about the elaboration of colors, about the materials needed to create all the many colors he used to paint. Castiel listened to him, his eyes shone brightly under the sun, making them look bluer, and Dean could see how the sadness he had seen in him was no longer there. His friend and lover was really happy.

Time flew as they talked, and the knocking on the door warned them about how their time together had come to an end, and both of them looked at each other, hating having to part. But that was the story of their lives; they couldn’t stay together for more than a couple of hours.

They walked towards the front door and found the driver of the carriage behind it. Castiel explained him that he wanted to see Mister Winchester’s backyard garden and he was kind enough to show it to him and to let him wander through it. He also told the driver to wait for him while he said goodbye to Mister Winchester. The driver didn’t suspect or question anything. His expression revealed that he was aware of Castiel’s passion about plants.

“When will I see you again?” Dean asked in a whisper, moving away from the door so the driver couldn’t see them.

“Meg is living in two days,” Castiel answered, whispering too. “I will come here the night of her departure.”

Dean smiled. “Okay.” He tried to look outside, wanting to know if the driver was looking at them and Castiel frowned, not knowing what he was doing. “I wanna kiss you, but I don’t want him to see us,” he whispered, a bit frustrated.

Castiel chuckled and he leaned and kissed him, making Dean hum pleased. “I love you.”

Dean grinned. “I love you, too, Cas.”

“You know we have to do the whole ‘good day Mister Winchester, good day Your Highness’, right?” he said with a sassy smile as he began to walk closer to the front door.

“Of course, Your Highness,” Dean said, not whispering anymore, and trying to use a pedantic voice.

Castiel glared him. “You enjoy this way too much, Mister Winchester.” He stood under the doorway, showing his back to the carriage. The driver wasn’t paying attention to them, and Dean felt relieved.

Dean chuckled. “Good day, Your Highness.” He bowed his head and then he gave Castiel a smirk.

Castiel rolled his eyes. “You’re insufferable,” he whispered, and Dean pressed his lips into a thin line, suppressing a smile, just in case the driver decided to move his eyes towards them.

“But you love me,” Dean whispered, low enough that only Castiel could hear it.

“I do,” Castiel whispered with a beautiful smile. He cleared his throat then. “I trust your artistic skills, Mister Winchester,” he began to say with a louder voice. He talked with the usual respect he talked to everyone else. Other nobles talked to other people with pedantry and bitterness, but Cas always talked with respect. “I’m sure the painting I ordered will turn out to be extraordinary. You are an extraordinary artist, Mister Winchester.”

Dean blushed. “Your Highness is so kind to me.” He always felt so flattered when Castiel praised his artistic skills. “Your Highness is free to come over here to see the progress of the painting and to let me know if Your Highness doesn’t like something.”

Castiel chuckled. “Mister Winchester, it is impossible to find something I don’t like about your paintings.” Both of them knew that the driver was now paying attention to them, and Castiel wanted him to hear their conversation. “But if Mister Winchester doesn’t mind it, I would like to come again and see the progress. I enjoy watching you paint. It is really interesting.”

“Of course, Your Highness.” He hid his smirk. He knew that Castiel wanted the driver to hear that he planned on returning to see Dean again, although the driver believed that only because he was passionate about painting.

“I shall part, Mister Winchester. Thank you for the terrific morning and for being kind enough to show me your exquisite garden.”

Dean wanted to laugh. He knew that Cas was polite, but he was being too polite, but he guessed he was like that with the people he liked. “No problem, Your Highness.” He smiled.

“Good day, Mister Winchester.”

Dean bowed his head. “Good day, Your Highness.”

Castiel dedicated him one last smile before he turned around and walked towards the carriage. Dean watched him leave and waited until the carriage started rolling to close the door. He leaned against it and sighed, happily. In moments like that, it was easy to forget the heavy burden both were carrying, making it easy to believe that things would finally change for better.

They would change, Dean knew that, but they still had to wait.

Castiel cursed internally as he went downstairs. Meg had decided to throw a ball in palace the night before the day she was going to leave. The King had found the idea wonderful, because she wasn’t going to come back in a month. Apparently, she had to attend some family reunions back at her hometown, and she wanted to farewell the nobles of the capital with a ball. And naturally, Castiel was forced to come down and make small talk with them and pretend to be polite.

He didn’t like most of the nobles in there, but given his position, he was forced to like them, but he always had to pretend. That was his game; ever since he was born, Castiel had to pretend around his family and the friends of the family, and now he had to do it even more often because he was the Prince.

There were a few noble families that thought the same way like Castiel, and Castiel liked them. Some of them even donated money to the schools and the hospitals. But those were rare. Still, Castiel had to be polite and nice to every single noble and try to extinguish some of the adversities that some specific families had against each other. It was all stupid interests and thirst of power, but Castiel knew how to deal with them.

Nevertheless, he didn’t want to deal with them that night. He hated balls. Nobles dressed with their best suits and dresses that talked about things that Castiel didn’t like or cared about. He was forced to make small talk, and he was terrible at that, but he had learnt some of the topics the nobles liked, because it was better to have them as friends than as enemies. Still, their conversations were about trivial topics, like the new dress trend in Paris, or something terrible a servant did to the brown leather shoes of someone, or gossips.

As Castiel went downstairs, he thought about how all of them had been educated in the best universities of the country, but their conversations didn’t enrichen anyone. Meanwhile, talking to Dean enriched anyone. But the difference in between Dean and the nobles in palace was that Dean was passionate about learning, even if he didn’t had the chance to go to any university. The nobles went to the university because it was expected for them to go, not because they wanted to learn.

A brunette woman, wearing glasses and dressed in a dark green dress was waiting for him. He had seen her before in palace, in a ball or in a meeting. He wasn’t sure. Castiel knew all the noble families, but some of the younger members of them didn’t come to every ball or meeting, especially those who weren’t firstborn. Most of the women that came to palace were married, engaged or widowed. Noble families didn’t like their daughters wandering around, just in case they happened to fall in love with a member of a family that her parents didn’t like.

“Your Highness,” the brunette woman said when Castiel reached the last step.

Now that he was closer to her, he recognized that face, especially that nose and those eyes. “Charlie?” Castiel whispered, surprised.

She put her index finger on her lips, wanting him to keep the secret. “At this moment, I’m Carrie Heinlein to everyone.”

“How did you get in here? And what’s with your hair?”

Charlie smiled. “It’s a wig,” she explained, whispering. “I got invited. I’m supposedly the widow of Lord Heinlein. I made him up with a friend that disguised too, so I could get invited into palace and spy and learn about some dirty, little secrets.”

“I’m fearing for my security right now,” he said, giving her an obvious look.

“Don’t worry,” she said with her usual warm smile. “I’m the only one who does this.”

“You are both dangerous and smart.”

“Thanks.” She blushed and grinned. She looked around, checking if someone was paying attention to any of them. “Your Highness has such a terrible face. I believe that he isn’t fond on balls,” she said with a lower voice, talking in the way all the nobles used to talk.

Castiel chuckled. He admired how well Charlie adapted to the situation and how skillful she was. “And I don’t, Lady Heinlein. But my fiancée likes them.”

“Lovely woman, I’ve heard,” she said with sarcasm, looking at Meg, who was talking friendly with Lucifer. “Did you know that she is a great friend of Lucifer?” she asked in a low whisper, giving him an interesting look that Castiel knew hold something more.

Castiel nodded. “We should take a walk around the garden, Lady Heinlein.” He gave her an obvious look, and Charlie nodded. They walked towards the garden, in silence. Castiel greeted everyone they passed by. Castiel knew he would have to make conversation with them later, but first he wanted to talk to Charlie. And the garden was the place where they could have some privacy. “Nobody will disturb us here,” Castiel said, sitting on the stone bench. They could see if somebody approached them from the palace. “What do you know about Meg and Lucifer?”

“They have known each other for years, since she was sixteen. Word is that she has a crush on him, but he doesn’t quite return it,” she said, sitting next to him. Castiel couldn’t get used to see her without her bright red hair and using glasses.

“I have heard that, too.” He knew that Meg had devotion for Lucifer and that her family and Lucifer’s were close. “That’s why the King thinks that my marriage with Meg will benefit Arpret, because she has a good relationship with Lucifer and that might calm his efforts to take over the crown.”

“It might, but you know as well as I do that if she could choose in between you and him, she would choose Lucifer.”

Castiel huffed. “She would choose Lucifer over me if she wanted to choose who she loves more. But she would choose me over Lucifer for power.” That was the main reason why Meg tried to seduce him and why she stood him, despite of being so different.

Charlie smirked. “Handsome and intelligent. No wonder why Dean loves you so much.”

Castiel looked down, hiding his smile and blushing. He felt the soft night breeze caressing his hair. It brought the smell of the different flowers of the garden to his nostrils.

“She is thirsty for power,” Charlie kept saying. “And she can do anything. She might try to do something so Lucifer can reign, after all, if you die, he is the next in line.”

“Meg can’t do any of that while I’m Prince,” Castiel explained. “If I die before the King, the King will find another woman of another noble family to marry Lucifer. In any case I should be worried when I become King.” He hadn’t thought about that. He knew that Meg was fond on Lucifer, that was the whole point on marrying her, but he hadn’t considered any of those aspects. He knew that he had to be cautious around her, but he didn’t know how dangerous she could be if the occasion presented itself. “Why are you telling me all of that now?”

Charlie took a deep breath. “There are rumors about Meg being Lucifer’s lover,” she whispered, even if they were alone, she wanted to be as discreet as she could. “It isn’t sure, but there are reasons to believe that it is true.” She took another deep breath, shakier, and she looked at him with fear in her hazel eyes. “I’m afraid that she might do something to you.”

Castiel made a shy smile. It was nice to have another friend who cared about him. He also cared about her, too. “Thank you for caring about me, Charlie.” He looked at the palace. The music from the orchestra could be heard from where they were sitting and he could see the people dancing. “Do you think he is using her? After all, he doesn’t return her feelings.”

“If she is his lover, I’m one hundred percent sure that he is using her to do something to you once you become King. She has to marry you when the King dies, so she will be the Queen, if you die or live. All she would have to do later is to kill you and marry Lucifer..”

Castiel grimaced. He believed that too. Meg was able of doing anything just to get closer to Lucifer. “Is there anything you can do to find out if she is his lover?”

“I’m already working on it, Cas.”

Castiel smiled, relieved. “Thank you so much, Charlie. Thank you for everything you are doing to help.”

Charlie gave him a lovely smile. “Cas, you want to change things for better. You’re actually worried about people. You don’t have to thank me anything. I’m so glad to help you. Really.”

Castiel smiled shyly again. “We should get back inside before they start suspecting about us,” he said as he stood up.

“Yeah.” She stood up as well and they began to walk back to the palace. “Be careful around Meg.”

“I know,” he said with an obvious look. “I will act around her as always, not letting her know about my suspicions. And much less, I won’t talk about what we are planning to change, although I never had the intention on doing so.”

Charlie chuckled.

“And I beg you to be careful, too,” Castiel said, giving her a worried look that made Charlie’s eyes soften. “I don’t want to lose you. And you are getting into a dangerous territory.”

“Aw, Cas, you’re so sweet.” They stopped walking. They didn’t want to get closer to the palace when they were still having an important conversation. “Don’t worry. You wouldn’t believe in all the troubles I’ve been. And yet, here I am.”

“Still, be careful.” He gave her a pleading look.

“I will.” They began to walk again. “I’m guessing Your Highness must start talking with the rest of his guests, right?”

Castiel chuckled. People couldn’t hear them yet, but they were approaching the building and they had to come back to pretending. “I’m afraid so, Lady Heinlein.”

“Doesn’t Your Highness get tired of this?”

Castiel sighed. “All the time. But it is my duty.”

“I hope the night turns out to be more enjoyable than you expect it to be, Your Highness.” She stopped when they reached the big doors that lead to the garden.

“Lady Heinlein, thanks to your presence, the night has been more delighting than I expected.”

Charlie grinned. Castiel could clearly see Charlie, without her disguise, with that gummy smile she was making. “We will stay in touch, Your Highness. Thank you for the lovely chat.” She bowed her head.

“My pleasure, Lady Heinlein.”

Castiel watched her leave and then he stepped inside and began to talk a little bit with everyone. The talks were boring and exasperating, but Castiel kept his poker face. He was good at keeping his façade. The only times when he didn’t have to wear that mask were when he was alone, when he was with Dean and when he was with Charlie or with Sam. He used to be who he was when Gabriel was alive. Things would be easier if his brother was still around.

Eventually, he had to approach Lucifer and try to be as polite as possible. Both of them disliked each other. Lucifer hated Castiel because he had more rights than him to become King and Lucifer was desperate for power. He wanted to take every right of the people so he could be the only one who ruled. And Castiel hated him for all the terrible things he wanted to achieve. Castiel couldn’t help seeing something of his Father in Lucifer; both were terrible human beings.

“Castiel,” Lucifer said with his pompous voice. “I’m sorry, Your Highness.” He made a fake reverence and Castiel couldn’t help rolling his eyes.

“Lucifer,” Castiel greeted, not mentioning his title, something he knew Lucifer hated.

“Lovely party, although you don’t seem to be enjoying yourself. You should party a little. In case somebody takes away what you have.”

Castiel gave him an unamused look. “You are better with words than with actions, Lucifer.”

Lucifer looked at him with a deadly glare. “I’m more capable of ruling this country than you, little Prince.”

“You just want to watch the country burn like Nero did in the old Rome. That isn’t ruling. That is love for destruction. You only think about yourself. Your thirst comes from power and death. How can you think that qualifies you as a King?”

Lucifer made a wicked smirk, and Castiel didn’t like it at all. “ _Panem et circenses_ , Castiel. Give the people food and a spectacle and they will cheer the Emperor.”

“This isn’t an empire. This is a parliamentary monarchy.” He was enraged about Lucifer’s careless attitude. “The people need more than food and a spectacle, and if you think otherwise, you haven’t learnt anything about history. Times have changed and so have the people.”

“No, Castiel, the people haven’t changed. At the end of the day, what people want is something to eat the next day. They don’t care about the rest.”

Castiel huffed, bitterly. “Ignorance is a bliss. You don’t know how things are out there. You don’t have any idea about people’s needs. If you ever become King of Arpret, you will create destruction and chaos everywhere, bringing pain to every corner of the country, until the only thing left from your kingdom is ashes.”

Lucifer chuckled, amused. “It is a shame that you don’t join my side, Castiel. You could be a great ally.” He shook his index finger, making a convinced grimace.

“I would rather die than join your rule of terror.”

Lucifer smirked. “I will keep that in mind, little Prince.”

Lucifer walked away and Castiel turned his hands into fists. He knew that Lucifer was a problem since the first day he became heir to the crown, but things were starting to get dangerous. While Castiel remained as a Prince, he was partially safe.

He watched how Meg approached Lucifer. He could clearly see that she was in love with Lucifer, but he needed proof of Meg being his lover. But until he had any kind of evidence, he couldn’t work on anything. Both Meg and Lucifer were a threat, and Castiel had to be careful. Once he had the information he needed, he could deal with Meg and Lucifer.

For now he was safe. But he knew that things would change once he became King.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I've been busy with life stuff.
> 
> Thank you for reading, for the comments, the kudos, the bookmarks and the subscriptions :)

The first thing Castiel did the night of the day when Meg left, was to get on his horse and ride towards Dean’s house. It reminded him of when he went back to Esomal in April and he had to wait until his parents left to leave his bedroom and meet Dean in the woods.

He tied Emmanuel to the willow and he almost ran towards the house, grabbing the key that Dean gave him and putting it into the lock, opening the door. He saw Dean, sitting on the kitchen chair, reading a book that he immediately closed when he saw Cas.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean greeted with a wide grin.

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel said after closing the door. He walked towards Dean, cupped his face and kissed him. It was always great to kiss him, to feel his plush lips against his, to feel how Dean immediately kissed him back and brought his hands to Castiel.

The kiss was breathtaking and heated, and when they pulled away, both were panting and their lips were slightly swollen and covered with saliva. “Upstairs?” Dean asked, breathy.

Castiel smiled. “Upstairs.”

Dean stood up in a jump and kissed Castiel passionately, getting his hands on his nape, pressing their bodies closer. Castiel grinded onto Dean, desperate to feel him as close as possible. He was addicted to Dean’s warmth and touch, and he craved it. And he knew that Dean craved Castiel’s warmth and touch.

They went upstairs, clumsily walking while they kissed and touched each other. They bumped against the walls a couple of times, making them smile into the kiss, but they finally made their way to Dean’s bedroom. Dean began to take off Castiel’s blazer. His hands were always firm when he took off Castiel’s clothes. Then, he took off Castiel’s waistcoat, deepening their kiss as he did so, and Castiel had to tighten his grip on Dean’s waist to avoid falling, because his legs were trembling.

Castiel had to move his hands away from Dean to let the waistcoat fall onto the floor, but he immediately brought them back to the green eyed man and he started to unbutton his shirt, his fingers brushing the warmth skin of him. Dean took it off quickly and he started to unbutton Castiel’s shirt, and he slid it down Castiel’s arms.

When they were completely topless, Castiel turned around the two of them and they fell onto the bed, being Dean the one with his back pressed against the mattress. Castiel pulled his lips from Dean’s, and he kneeled in between his legs. He took off his shoes and Dean’s boots, both of them making a rattling sound. He took off their socks later, and Dean rose up and met Castiel in a fervent kiss, tracing down his back, sneaking his hands under his dress pants and underwear, squeezing his buttocks. Castiel moaned, surprised, and Dean smirked as he repeated the motion. His fingers moved downer, until they brushed Castiel’s rim, and Castiel shivered and moaned, moving away from Dean’s lips, but Dean chased his mouth and began to nibble Castiel’s bottom lip.

Dean kept caressing his rim and Castiel found himself rolling his hips, alternating his movements from rubbing his groin against Dean and grinding onto Dean’s fingers. Dean began to kiss his throat. Castiel wanted him to leave him a mark, but he knew they couldn’t risk anyone seeing those marks on Castiel’s neck; they would know he was with someone.

Castiel kissed Dean’s lips and pushed Dean onto the mattress. Dean moved his hands up, abandoning Castiel’s ass and placing his arms on his blades. Castiel moved his mouth to Dean’s nipple and he started to lick it and suck it, nibbling it when he felt how it hardened under his tongue.

“Fuck, Cas—” Dean moaned, moving his hand restlessly on Castiel’s hair.

Castiel moved to Dean’s other nipple and did the same, loving the way Dean moaned his name and how he moved his hips, seeking friction. Castiel traced down Dean’s sides with his hands and reached his pants and took them off. Then he took off his underwear and he moved his mouth to Dean’s hard cock, wrapping his lips around his cock, only teasing, but Dean found it pleasurable. He dropped a few kisses along his shaft, looking at the happy grin Dean’s lips were forming. He pressed a last kiss on the head of his cock and kissed Dean’s lips.

Dean took off Castiel’s dress pants and underwear, and he wrapped his hand around Castiel’s cock with a tight grip. Castiel groaned as Dean’s thumb made circles on the head of his cock. He bit his bottom lip and rolled his hips into the tightness of his lover’s hand. He only gave him a couple of strokes, but they felt really good.

“Are you gonna keep teasing me or are you gonna fuck me?” Dean whispered into Castiel’s ear before nibbling his earlobe. His fingers squeezed the head of Castiel’s cock and Castiel shuddered.

“You are the one teasing right now,” Castiel said, moaning.

Dean chuckled and let his grip go. He spread his legs and looked at Castiel with lusty eyes. Castiel chuckled, too, and he opened the drawer to get the lube. He spread it on his hands and on his cock. Dean watched him and licked his lips, and Castiel felt his cheeks flushing.

He leaned onto Dean and kissed him as he got his finger inside him without any resistance. Dean hummed into the kiss. Castiel added a second finger and that earned him a moan. Dean rocked his hips, fucking into his fingers as he nailed Castiel’s blades, turning the tanned flesh white. Castiel touched his prostate, and Dean pulled away from the kiss with a loud moan and arched his back.

Castiel joined a third finger, loosening Dean as he kissed his neck. Dean kept moaning his neck and rocking his hips. Finally, Castiel added his fourth finger and finished preparing Dean. He touched his prostate a couple of times, loving how Dean reacted to it. He loved bringing pleasure to Dean.

He pulled his fingers away and wiped them on the sheets. As he aligned himself in between Dean’s legs, Dean lifted them and wrapped them around Castiel’s waist and pulled him down, placing his arms around his back and meeting him in a tender kiss where they smiled.

Castiel began to push into Dean, moaning as he felt the wonderful heat and tightness of Dean around his cock. Dean bit his lower lip and closed his eyes, marveling at the feeling. When Castiel was completely buried inside Dean, they both let out a breath and smiled. Castiel caressed Dean’s face and looked at him.

“What?” Dean asked with a curious frown, leaning into Castiel’s touch. “That’s your ‘I’m about to say something sappy’ face.”

Castiel chuckled and his fingers brushed Dean’s cheekbone. “I love being like this with you.”

Dean smiled. “Sap.”

Castiel smiled and kissed him. He began to roll his hips and both of them pulled away, moaning at the wonderful friction. He thrusted in and out of Dean and Dean rolled his hips, grinding onto him. Castiel parted his lips and moaned Dean’s name loudly. There were many thoughts forming in his head, filled with words that described how much he loved the feeling, but the only word he could say was Dean’s name.

Dean’s touch alone could easily set Castiel on fire, but whenever Castiel was inside Dean, it was like being burnt out, and Castiel loved it. He had never been intimate with anyone else. He had masturbated the few times he was alone, and he always thought of Dean, but it was completely different that being inside Dean. The heat was spirited, the tightness was overwhelming, but not only that; the trust they had on each other was incredible, and the love they put in every roll of their hips was extraordinary.

Dean rolled his hips harder and Castiel’s cock touched that sweet spot that made Dean moan his name so loud that it echoed almost in the whole house. He clenched around Cas, squeezing tight, and Castiel lost his rhythm and his arms trembled. Dean held him tightly as Castiel rested his weight on his right arm, changing the angle. Dean groaned and pressed his face against Castiel’s temple. His hand was on his dark hair, messing it while his other hand nailed his back.

Castiel kept rolling his hips, aiming for Dean’s prostate. He slid inside Dean easily and steadily, until his hips were pressed against Dean’s ass. Whenever his cock touched that wonderful spot, Dean’s body squirmed under his and he squeezed around him, and both of them moaned loudly.

He moved his face to kiss Dean. He loved kissing Dean at any occasion, but he loved it even more when their bodies were joined together. When they pulled away, they looked at each other’s eyes. Dean’s pupils were blown out, only leaving a tiny ring of green around it. Dean kissed him again and lifted his hips, and the angle became even better. Castiel kept thrusting in and out of his friend and lover, hitting that spot over and over again, and Dean kept clenching around him.

His orgasm hit him and he came inside Dean, moaning and wailing as he filled him with his release. He kept rolling his hips even if his body was starting to tremble and his muscles wanted to give up. Dean came a moment later after Castiel, moaning Castiel’s whole name into the skin of his neck, painting their bellies with his come.

Castiel’s muscles gave up and he collapsed onto Dean, who held him tightly. He kept rolling his hips, stroking Dean’s cock with his body until he felt Dean’s legs gave up when he was done coming. The air felt thick around them, and they could smell their comes and their sweat, but it felt really good.

Dean found Castiel’s mouth and they shared a lazy, sweet kiss. His freckled hands petted Castiel’s dark hair, almost combing it. It made Castiel smile into the kiss.  
He hated having to pull away from Dean, but his cock was softening, and he knew Dean was going to start feeling sore if he remained inside him for longer, so Castiel pulled away, and they made a grunt, both of them hating the loss of being joined.

“I’m going to grab a cloth,” Castiel said, pecking Dean’s lips. “It is in the bathroom, right?”

“Right,” Dean said.

Castiel left the bed and walked towards the bathroom. His legs were still trembling and they didn’t felt like his yet, but he was able to walk. Thankfully, the bathroom was close, and he was soon back in the bedroom, carrying the cloth. He knelt into the bed, with Dean’s legs in between his and he cleaned Dean’s stomach first.

“Roll over,” Castiel said when Dean’s belly was clean. Dean complied and rolled onto his stomach. Castiel couldn’t help grinning as he saw Dean’s ass covered with his come.

Dean turned his face and he looked at Cas with a sassy look. “I think you love seeing my ass covered with your come way too much,” Dean said, mockingly.

Castiel arched his eyebrow and began to clean the mess of his come on Dean’s ass and in his hole. “You say that as if you didn’t enjoy seeing my ass covered with your come.”

Dean chuckled. “Yeah, but I’m not that obvious.”

“Let me disagree on that.”

Dean grinned. “You look quite happy tonight.”

“I’m always happy when I’m with you, Dean.” He had finished cleaning the mess of his come and he began to clean the mess of Dean’s on his stomach.

“Yeah, but,” he said as he rolled onto his side. He pressed his elbow on the pillow and rested his cheek on his palm, looking at Cas with an inquiring look. “You seem happier.”

Castiel smiled and left the cloth onto the bedside table. He lay onto the bed, lying aside, facing Dean. He grabbed his hand and laced their fingers. “Meg is gone, and she won’t come back in a month, which means I get to see you more often.”

Dean grinned and kissed him. He got onto Cas as they kissed, and Castiel ended up with his back pressed against the mattress. When they pulled away, Dean rested his cheek on Castiel’s chest and began to stroke his side. His chest was pressed against Castiel’s other side, and Castiel got his arm around Dean’s shoulders and began to pet his hair. He liked having Dean like that.

“This is nice,” Castiel said, sighing happily.

Dean chuckled and pressed a kiss onto Castiel’s pectoral. “It’s so fucking awesome.”

“Watch out your vocabulary, Dean.”

“You said the word ‘fuck’ almost ten times a couple of minutes ago.”

Castiel glared him. “Did you count them?”

“More or less.”

Castiel huffed. “You are unbelievable.”

Dean laughed. “We’ve known each other for years, Cas. I don’t know why some aspects of me still surprise you.”

Castiel had to agree that Dean had a point, but instead of voicing it, he smiled at him and kissed the top of his hair, nuzzling it after it. He sighed happily and kept moving his fingers on Dean’s hair, letting himself enjoy the feeling of Dean’s body pressed against him, holding each other and the warmth that emanated from Dean’s body. He knew that what they did was forbidden, but in Dean’s house they were safe, and they were allowed to have each other and the happy moments they shared.

“Sometimes I think about how we wouldn’t be right here if I never left that house and ran to the woods,” Castiel murmured. He didn’t know why he was bringing that in that moment, but he felt like voicing it. “My life would have been so different without you. And sometimes I wonder if I would have become the man I am today without you.”

Dean moved his face and rested his chin on Castiel’s chest so he could meet his eyes. “Of course you’d be the man you’re now, Cas. You wanted to be different from what your parents told you, from what they wanted you to become.”

“Maybe. I don’t know.” He sighed and looked up. Dean was right, he had always believed that his parents weren’t right and he didn’t want to become like them. “Do you think we would have met if I hadn’t left my bedroom that day?”

“I don’t know. Possibly. Maybe one day you would’ve come into my house and ordered me a painting, and I would’ve panicked because I would’ve been blown away by how fucking handsome the Prince of Arpret is.”

Castiel chuckled. “And would you have confessed your love for me in those circumstances? Because you would think that I’m against homosexuality. You wouldn’t know anything about me and much less about the way I think.”

Dean made a thoughtful grimace. “Then I guess I would have to say: Your Highness, I know it’s forbidden, but you have taken away my heart and my soul with your beauty, and you must know that I love you ardently,” he said with a high pitched voice, making a strange accent.

Castiel frowned. “That doesn’t sound like you at all.”

Dean grinned and gave him an obvious face. “It’s the Prince of Arpret, I have to talk him with all the respect and pedantry I’m supposed to talk to him.”

“You’re an assbutt,” he said, glaring him but smiling.

“I’m your most humble servant, Your Highness,” Dean kept saying with that strange voice that Castiel didn’t understand why it made sense for Dean to use it. “I’d die for a kiss of your forbidden lips, for a glance of your sapphire eyes. Your Highness must know that I long for him.” He brought his hand to his forehead and made dramatic sigh.

“You are terrible, Dean,” he muttered, giving him a sassy look. Dean laughed and rested his chin on Castiel’s shoulder before kissing it. Their faces were really close that they could see their reflection in each other’s eyes. “You seriously think that would have worked?”

“We’ll never know. Maybe you would’ve fallen in love with me because I’m handsome and charming.” He wiggled his eyebrows and made a cocky smile.

Castiel rolled his eyes. “You would have stuttered and you wouldn’t have stopped rubbing the back of your neck,” he explained with an obvious look. Dean looked at him, surprised. “You always do that when you are nervous.”

Dean smiled. “You know me well, Cas.” He kissed him briefly. “But at least that confession would’ve been better than the one you did,” he added, teasingly. Castiel blushed and glared him. “Always so adorable when you get pissed at me.”

“You really don’t want to see me pissed,” he muttered, bolding each word.

“Oh, yeah?” Dean asked, kissing his shoulder. “Because I’m finding it really attractive.”

“You have a strange idea of what’s attractive.”

Dean laughed.

“Answer me,” Castiel demanded, still glaring Dean. “What was so wrong about my love confession?”

“It wasn’t wrong, Cas,” Dean said with an obvious look that only made Castiel frown. “It was—” He made a thoughtful grimace, and Castiel knew he was looking for a specific word. “Unusual.” Dean’s fingers kept caressing Castiel’s chest, making doodles. It was sweet and calming. “I thought that if you ever felt like I did, you were gonna confess your love with something different, not by saying, ‘I have a friend and I’m in love with him’.”

“I was a kid, Dean, and I didn’t know if you felt the same,” Castiel said, flushing and looking away. “I was nervous and I didn’t know how to tell you. I was scared that you would reject me and stop being my friend.”

“Hey,” Dean murmured, cupping his face and turning it so their gazes could meet. “I still like the way you did it. It was very you.”

“Very me?”

“Yeah.”

“Is that a compliment?”

Dean hummed.

“You are still terrible with compliments, Dean.”

“I’m not that bad,” Dean said, quite offended.

Castiel kissed him sweetly, taking his time to taste those lips he loved so much. His mouth was warm, wet and welcoming. His lips were plush and soft and fit perfectly against his. He sighed happily when he pulled away and he held Dean closer, who hummed contently as he snuggled against Castiel.

They stayed in silence for a couple of minutes, enjoying the cuddling. Castiel turned his face and looked at the window, aware that his time to go was almost there. He started to move his hand away from Dean, who noticed the action and realized that Castiel’s time with him was over. Dean quickly placed himself onto Castiel, pinning him to the bed.

“Dean,” Castiel said with a warning tone.

“Stay, only for a little bit,” Dean said with a pleading look. Castiel sighed, frustrated. He understood that Dean hated it when Castiel had to leave, Castiel hated it too, but he couldn’t stay for longer. Dean leaned and started kissing the skin behind his ear, one of Castiel’s weakest spots. “Let’s have a quick one.”

Castiel moaned when Dean sucked his earlobe and he nailed his back. “Dean— I have to go. This is reckless.” He tilted his head to his side, leaving more room for Dean’s mouth. He should have been fighting against it, but he wanted it so bad.

Dean began to press little kisses on his jaw while he rolled his hips, rubbing his cock against Castiel’s. “Let’s be reckless for once,” he murmured into his skin, praising his jawline with his mouth. His fingers began to caress Castiel’s nipple and Castiel had to bit his lip and close his eyes. His body wanted to surrender to Dean, but he kept his hips still, not wanting to give into Dean’s maddening rubbing.

Castiel moaned. Dean kept rolling his hips slowly, making sure that he applied pressure to the right spots. His fingers pinched Castiel’s nipples and Castiel rolled his hips involuntary, moaning louder. “I thought that we both agreed on not being reckless.” He rolled his hips again, desperate for the friction, feeling how their cocks were already half hard. “This is dangerous.”

Dean kissed his mouth briefly but breathtakingly. “If somebody asks you,” he said before he started playing with his bottom lip. He rubbed his cock against Castiel’s, and Castiel tilted his head up and closed his eyes. He couldn’t resist him. “Tell them you were seeing a lover.”

Castiel got his mouth on Dean’s earlobe and sucked, feeling how Dean trembled and moaned. “If I tell them that,” he explained with a raggedy breath. He rolled his hips harder, and the two of them groaned. “The King will start questioning things about who my lover is. That would involve too many lies.” He sucked Dean’s earlobe again and he brought his hand to Dean’s hair.

Dean moved his face and sealed their mouths together. “Then, leave,” he said with a smirk.

Castiel groaned, frustrated and with pleasure. “You are making it so hard.”

Dean chuckled and rolled his hips harder. “That’s what I’m trying to do.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” he muttered, glaring him. They kissed again and kept rubbing their erections together. It was just frottage, but it felt extremely good. “Why do you have to be so good at this?” He moaned and groaned. His hips moved on their own, matching the roll of Dean’s.

“Why do you have to have the body of a Greek god?” Dean asked before giving him a dirty kiss.

“I have—” He was reaching the moment when his brain couldn’t connect to his mouth. He buried his face against the side of Dean’s temple and kept rolling his hips, getting his other hand on Dean’s back, pulling him closer, until there wasn’t any space in between their bodies. “The body of a Greek god?” Castiel finished asking, breathy.

“Better,” Dean moaned. He keep grinding onto Cas, rubbing his hard and long cock against Castiel’s.

Castiel tilted his head up and moaned when Dean slightly changed the angle. “You are the one who— oh, Dean—” He closed his eyes and moaned loudly as Dean rocked faster. Castiel increased his pace a little and it was perfect. “You’re the one with a better body than a Greek god,” he finally said.

Dean chuckled before he kissed him fervently. Castiel stopped trying to show resistance and he surrendered to Dean. He kissed him dirtily and breathtakingly, until both of them had to pull away, desperate for air. They kept rolling their hips, rubbing their hard cocks. It felt incredible to have Dean’s cock pressed against his, touching and rubbing together, bringing them to their climax.

Castiel nailed Dean’s back, aware that he would leave marks on his body, and Dean groaned really pleased. His pace increased and so did Castiel’s. They kept moving together, kissing and touching, and Dean came first, with a loud moan, splashing his warm release onto Castiel’s tanned stomach, and a second later Castiel was coming too. They covered themselves with their comes as they kept thrusting against each other, until their bodies started trembling and they gave up. Dean collapsed onto Castiel, burying his face in the crook of Castiel’s neck, breathing hard, his hot breath caressing Castiel’s skin.

Castiel should be mad, but he couldn’t. He felt really good and sated. He was aware that it was reckless, but he was tired of having to leave earlier than he wanted to. He loved Dean, and he hated not being able to be with him completely.

“Are you mad at me?” Dean mumbled into his skin.

Castiel took a deep breath. “No, I am not.”

Dean moved his face from Castiel’s neck. “Really? ‘Cause you sound a bit pissed off.”

“I’m not mad, Dean,” he murmured before kissing him. “Even if I know how reckless it is to prolong my staying.”

Dean smiled, sadly. “I guess we should clean,” he said as he rolled over and grabbed the cloth Castiel had used before. “I can’t keep you for longer,” he mumbled as he began to clean the mess of their comes on Castiel.

“Dean,” Castiel said, cupping his face. “We always have this conversation when I have to leave. I don’t want to leave either, but you know that I can’t let anyone suspect. If somebody finds out, you—” He didn’t want to finish that sentence. He knew what would happen to Dean if somebody found out about them. Sam and Charlie knew, but they supported it. But there were many people who didn’t support it.

“I know,” Dean said, absently. “I’m just tired of waiting, y’know?” He shrugged casually. He was about to begin cleaning himself when Castiel sat on the bed and grabbed the cloth from his hand.

“I’m tired, too,” he confessed as he started cleaning Dean, delicately, rubbing the cloth onto his skin, getting rid of the white release. “We have waited fifteen years to meet again, Dean. We can wait less than a year to be fully together.”

“Don’t quote me to me, I hate it.”

Castiel grinned. He put the cloth back on the bedside table and he left bed to pick up his clothes that were scattered on the floor. He grabbed them and put them onto the bed and he began to put his underwear on. He sat on the bed as he put his socks on. Dean remained on the bed instead of dressing up like he always did. “Are you mad at me?” Castiel asked, worried, turning his face to look at Dean.

“No, I’m not mad at you, Cas,” Dean said with a reassuring smile. He reached Castiel’s back and caressed it soothingly. “I’m mad at the situation. Always been.” His eyes were glassy and filled with pain. “I wish I could do more to change things, y’know?”

“You gave us that list with the names of the members of the parliament,” Castiel said with a hopeful voice. He turned around and knelt on the bed, next to Dean. “That’s a lot, Dean.” But Dean looked down, pouting. “Dean,” Castiel said, cupping his face. “Without those names, we would be stuck. We have a great opportunity thanks to that list.”

Dean nodded and he caressed Castiel’s thigh. He brought his head to Castiel’s lap and rested it there. The movement caught Castiel off guard at first, but he immediately brought his hand to Dean’s hair, stroking it soothingly. Touch always calmed Dean. “Why does the situation have to be so fucked up?”

Castiel sighed. He had asked the same question to himself millions of times. “Ignorance is dangerous. You told me that before I confessed my feelings to you.”

Dean chuckled and looked up, meeting Castiel’s eyes. “I told you not to quote me to me.”

“I know,” Castiel smiled. “But you are wiser than you let yourself believe.”

“Shut up,” he said, blushing. He sat on the bed, moving away from Castiel, and he pinched the bridge of the nose. “I’m still as scared of losing you as when we were kids.”

Castiel pulled him into his arms and kissed his hairline. Dean didn’t resist him. “We will be okay, Dean. We only need to be patient,” he whispered into his hair.

Dean placed his hand on Castiel’s jaw and lifted his face from Castiel’s shoulder. “I love you, Cas.”

“And I love you, Dean.”

They leaned onto each other and they shared a sweet kiss. “Well, let’s get dressed before people in the palace start suspecting, don’t you think?”

Castiel rolled his eyes but smiled. Dean was like that. He could be impulsive one moment and then he was self-conscious. But he couldn’t blame him. Dean wanted so desperately to have the life he dreamt since they confessed their feelings for each other. Dean was tired of waiting, of only getting small pieces of it, of having to be careful with everything they did and said. It was hard. Not only for Dean, but for Castiel as well. He understood what Dean felt because he felt it too.

They got dressed and went downstairs. Dean walked him to his horse and they kissed before Castiel got onto it. They said goodbye to each other and kissed again before Castiel rode away from Dean’s house. He would see him again in a couple of nights.

As his horse rode back to the palace, Castiel managed to see parts of the starry night sky. If somebody asked him about his delay, he would say he got absorbed by the many beautiful stars scattered on the sky.

He got absorbed by stars made of freckles. But he wouldn’t confess the real truth.

“Charlie sent you a letter,” Dean said the moment Castiel closed the kitchen’s door.

Castiel looked at Dean with a concerned voice. Something in his voice and in his face wasn’t right. He wanted to ask, but Dean stood up from the chair and handed Castiel the letter. Castiel grabbed it and looked at the envelope. It was from Charlie, but the addressee was Dean. The envelope was open, and Castiel looked at Dean, who was standing next to him, resting the small of his back against the counter.

“Did you read it?” Castiel asked as he picked the letter and put the envelope on the counter.

Dean nodded. “I thought it was for me. And I thought I could read it because I thought it was gonna be a different topic.” Dean seemed angry and frustrated and Castiel didn’t know why. He frowned and was about to ask Dean what was wrong, but Dean talked before he could. “Just read it.”

Castiel’s frown only deepened, but he began to read the letter.

 

_Dear Cas,_

_Our suspicions got confirmed; Meg is Lucifer’s lover. I have one of my rebel friends working as a servant at Lucifer’s house. Meg comes in once in a while and they spend some time in the bedroom. Every servant in the house is aware of their relationship but they all have to keep it in secret. As my friend has told me, Lucifer has threatened all his servants with hurting their families if they dare to say a word about what they see and hear in his house. Also, my friend has heard Meg and Lucifer talking about you and he interrogates her about various aspects of you. My friend hasn’t been able to hear the whole conversation, given that they try to talk about you when they are alone, making sure that no one in the house can know about what they are up to, but we both know that it can’t be good._

_My friend will keep working at Lucifer’s house and will keep informing me. She is an expert on infiltrating and she is really careful. I will keep you updated if she finds out more. For now, I beg you to be really careful around Meg. She is part of Lucifer’s plan, but we don’t know what part she has to play and when she has to play it. But if things get nasty and you need to bring her to justice, my friend will testify and I have her letter to prove that she has been collaborating with Lucifer, but I’m afraid we will need more to accuse her. In the meantime, please be careful. I know you will and I know the moment you read this letter you will start thinking about how to bring her down. If you have any legal doubt, tell Sam. He will help you to fill the blanks._

_Take care,_

_Charlie Bradbury._

 

Castiel folded the letter and put it back inside the envelope while Dean looked at him with anger and pain.

“Why didn’t you tell me that Meg was Lucifer’s lover?” Dean asked, his voice coming out harsh and broken.

“Because I didn’t know,” Castiel answered, calmly. He was still confused about why Dean was so angry about him.

“But you suspected it.”

“I knew she had a crush on him,” Castiel explained, sighing. “But he doesn’t return it,” he added, and Dean exhaled sharply. “Why are you so upset about this?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Dean yelled, and his voice echoed in the kitchen. Castiel didn’t remember seeing Dean as pissed off as he was. “Your fiancée is sleeping with the guy that wants to be the King of Arpret! Don’t you fucking dare to tell me that you don’t know what this means, Cas!”

“Of course I know what it means, Dean! I’m not stupid!” Castiel yelled, irritated. This conversation was leading them to nowhere.

“And why the fuck are you so fucking calm?! He can use her to kill you! How—” Dean didn’t finish his sentence and instead he clenched his teeth, suppressing a sob. He looked at Castiel, frustrated and hurt, his green eyes filled with tears he didn’t want to let out.

Castiel understood why Dean was so upset. Because he feared for his life. “Dean,” Castiel said, softly and sweetly. He cupped his face, tenderly. Dean tried to fight against his touch, but he gave up and let Castiel cradle his face. “Meg wants to be Queen, as much as Lucifer wants to be King. Meg won’t be Queen until she marries me, so she can’t do anything until I become King and we get married.”

Dean shook his head. His lips trembled, and Castiel knew that he was about to cry, but Dean wanted to fight against that urge. “But she can kill you now so Lucifer becomes the next heir and she can marry Lucifer.”

“If she kills me, Lucifer will become the next heir, that’s true, but the King is still alive, and he will tell Lucifer who he must marry, and that isn’t Meg. The King has the gout, but he is still very capable of ruling and deciding about Arpret’s destiny. If Lucifer becomes the Prince, the King will dictate that he has to marry someone from the Talbot’s family, in order to satisfy as many interests as he can. And Meg knows that. She won’t do anything until she has married me and she is officially the Queen. Once she is the Queen, and I die under any circumstances, she can marry Lucifer. But she can’t do anything until then.”

Dean took a deep breath. His sore eyes let out a few tears and Castiel wiped them with his thumbs. “Still, she wants to kill you.”

“I know,” he murmured, sighing. “But before she can do anything, I will have changed the law that forbids us to be together and get married, and I will be able to accuse her of attempt of regicide and I will be able to accuse Lucifer of that, too.” He gave Dean a comforting smile. “Once the King dies, I won’t have to marry Meg in three months, which gives us plenty of time to change the things we want to change and to bring the two of them to justice.”

“But aren’t you supposed to marry her? You signed a contract, right?”

Castiel smirked. “Dean, I will be King. And as King I will be able to invalidate said contract.”

Dean chuckled and rested his forehead on Castiel’s. He brought his hands to Castiel’s waist and embraced him. “I’m still worried, y’know?”

“Yes, I know. It is understandable.”

“But I still don’t know why you didn’t tell me.”

Castiel sighed. “I wasn’t sure about Meg being Lucifer’s lover. Charlie came to the ball disguised as a noble woman and she told me that it was quite possible, but she still didn’t know for sure. I wanted to tell you once she confirmed it, but in the meantime, I didn’t want to worry you. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I know, it’s just that—” He took a deep breath and his grip on Castiel became tighter. “I didn’t know and when I read the letter, I started to panic, because I immediately knew what it meant and—” He exhaled sharply.

“Dean,” Castiel said, slightly lifting Dean’s face. “Everything is going to be okay, Dean. I promise you.” He kissed his lips, softly, almost chastely. “We are going to be okay.”

Dean smiled. “Okay.” He pulled away and sighed. He rubbed his eyes, wiping them off from the remaining tears. “I guess I should tell Sam about this, right?”

“Yes, I would appreciate it. Your brother’s knowledge about the laws of Arpret is extraordinary.”

Dean made a proud grim, the one he always did when somebody praised his little brother. “Yeah, he’s awesome. When do you wanna meet him?”

Castiel made a thoughtful grimace, mentally checking his agenda. “Wednesday, ten A.M., I can come here with the excuse of seeing how the painting is going.”

“Alright. I’ll go to the city tomorrow and I’ll tell him.” He grabbed the envelope with the letter and gave him a thoughtful look. “I should better put this somewhere safe.”

Castiel nodded. Dean turned around and walked away and Castiel followed him, intrigued about where Dean would put it. Dean went upstairs, to his bedroom, and he opened the drawer where he kept the folder with all his sketches.

“That’s somewhere safe?” Castiel asked, sassy and concerned.

“Nobody comes here except us,” Dean answered with an obvious look. He put the envelope in between some sketches and he closed the folder, putting it back in its place.

While Dean did that, Castiel walked towards the bookcase Dean had in his bedroom and he began to read the titles of them, smiling at the ones Dean had discovered thanks to the books Castiel sneaked from his house. “You have nice taste.”

Dean huffed. “You sound surprised.” He walked towards Castiel and stood next to him, bumping their shoulders. “I always had a good taste in books.”

Castiel smiled.

“Whenever I went to a bookstore, I always looked for a book written by Emmanuel something,” Dean began to say. “I always hoped to find a book written by you.”

Castiel took a deep breath. “I never had the chance to write again.”

“You could ty again,” Dean said, turning his face to look at Castiel, and Castiel turned his. “Once you have changed everything, you can write.”

“There is always something to do as a King, Dean. I won’t have time to write.” He looked at the collection of books Dean had, jealous about those men and women that were able to write masterpieces. Writing took time, and he didn’t have it. And he would have even less when he became King. He wondered if he would have time for Dean, and that thought make him sad.

“I know that look,” Dean said, worried. “That’s the look you make when you think something sad or painful.”

Castiel chuckled, bitterly and he gave Dean a sorrowful look. “I don’t know if I will have time for you when I become King, Dean.” He felt his eyes getting glassy. “Once we are able to be together, I will be busy with so many things and I don’t know if—”

“Cas,” Dean interrupted. He placed his hands on Castiel’s shoulders and turned him around, until they were facing each other. “I know that. But as long as I have you, as long as I don’t have to hide that I love you, we will be okay. I know there’ll be times when I’ll only see you once you come to bed, but we’ll sleep in the same bed and we’ll wake up together, and that’s so fucking awesome. I know it’s not perfect, but it’s more than we have now, y’know?”

Castiel sighed. “I know, but—” he looked down and bit his bottom lip, catching it in between his teeth. “I wish I didn’t have any title so I could have a simple life with you.”

“Well, our social statuses have always been a fucking pain in the ass.”

Castiel glared him. “You and your terrible vocabulary.”

Dean rolled his eyes but chuckled. “Your Highness is so susceptible.”

“And Mister Winchester is an assbutt and very vulgar,” he said, still glaring him.

“Your Highness doesn’t say that when I put his cock in my mouth,” Dean said with a cocky smile.

“Dean!” Castiel exclaimed, punching Dean’s arm and blushing. Dean started to laugh. “You are the worst!”

Dean kept laughing. “That’s why you love me. You’re into bad boys and rebels. Deep down you really love those who should scandalize you.”

Castiel smiled and got his arms around Dean, hugging him and burying his face in the crook of his neck. He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut, holding Dean tightly. He was still worried about not being able to be with Dean as much as he wanted to once he became King, but he knew Dean would always be there, no mattered what.

“You okay, Cas?” Dean asked, concern slipping into his voice and he held Castiel really tight.

“Yes,” Castiel said, making a tiny smile.

“You sure?”

Castiel pulled his face away and he gave Dean a soft smile before he kissed him. “Yes, Dean, I’m sure.” He kissed him again. “I love you so much.”

Dean smiled. “And I love you so fucking much, too.”

Castiel glared him.

“You knew I was gonna say ‘fucking’,” Dean said, chuckling.

“Everybody will be very scandalized when we get married,” Castiel said, shaking his head. He didn’t know how the people and all the nobles would react to him getting married to another man. He suspected that some nobles would immediately hate him for it and that most of the people from the country would support him, but he knew it was going to be polemic, but Castiel didn’t care. He loved Dean and he wanted to be with him.

Dean made a cocky and proud face. “And you’re gonna love that.”

Castiel huffed. “Not as much as you will, I suspect.”

Dean grinned and kissed him again.

Castiel knocked the front door of Dean’s house and Dean immediately opened the door and bowed his head when he saw him. “Your Highness,” Dean said, sounding really polite.

“Mister Winchester,” Castiel said, bowing his head as well. The carriage was still there, and the driver was waiting for Castiel to tell him when he had to come back to pick him up, so both Dean and Castiel had to do the whole Your Highness and Mister Winchester thing. “I have come to see how the painting is going, as I promised you, Mister Winchester. I hope it isn’t an inconvenience that I came today.”

“Of course not, Your Highness. Please, come in.”

“Very well, Mister Winchester.” Castiel nodded and turned around to look at the driver of the carriage. “Please, Mister Plant, come back at midday.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the driver said, bowing his head.

Castiel came in and Dean closed the door, locking it. “You’re gonna need two hours to talk with Sammy?” Dean asked with an arched brow.

Castiel smiled before he pecked Dean’s lips. “I did not only come here to discuss laws with Sam, Dean.”

Dean’s eyebrows raised and he smirked. “So you’re here to see me, too?” he asked with a pleased voice as he got his hand on the small of Castiel’s back as they began to walk towards the kitchen.

“Of course, Dean.”

Dean smiled and he kissed his temple, and Castiel smiled.

They got into the kitchen, where Sam was waiting for them. He was sitting on one of the kitchen’s chairs and he had a cup of tea in front of him. When Castiel and Dean entered into the kitchen, Sam immediately smiled warmly.

“Hey, Cas,” Sam greeted.

“Hello, Sam,” Castiel said, smiling too. “Thank you so much for coming,” he added as he sat next to him. Dean grabbed another cup and poured tea on it before he offered it to Castiel. “Thank you, Dean,” he said, smiling. Dean smiled and nodded, sitting next to Castiel. “Do you know why you are here, Sam?” Castiel asked before taking a sip of the tea.

“Dean has informed me,” he answered, sighing. “You wish to know what you need to accuse Meg and Lucifer of attempt of regicide.”

Castiel nodded. “Exactly.”

“Alright, for that, you’re gonna need proof and a witness that confirms their plans of committing regicide. Dean has explained me that they will actually do it once you become King because it benefits the two of them, but for now, you only know that they are lovers and that they ask about you. That’s not enough proof.”

“Why isn’t that enough?” Dean asked, frowning. “We all know that they’re planning on killing Cas once he becomes King.”

“Knowing one thing and proving the same thing it’s not the same, Dean,” Sam said, trying to keep his brother calmed down. Castiel knew that Dean was still a bit disturbed by the whole thing and he was sure that Sam had noticed it too. “Just because we know what they’re up to, doesn’t mean that’s solid proof. We have guesses, even if we’re aware what Meg being Lucifer’s lover involves. But that isn’t enough to arrest them and much less to convict them. You need solid proof. You need a witness that can prove that they plan on killing Cas. But for now, all we know is that they are sleeping together and that Lucifer asks Meg about Cas.”

Dean sighed, frustrated. “So what? We have to wait until Cas becomes King and he becomes their target?”

“No,” Castiel answered, looking at Dean. “We have to wait until Charlie’s friend gathers more information. Maybe she finds some compromising letters in between them or she hears something.”

“But what if she doesn’t? Do you think those two are stupid enough to leave something that can incriminate them unhidden?”

“It’s Dorothy, Dean,” Sam said, and Dean looked at him surprised. “You know she is as good at finding things as Charlie. She will find something.”

“She’s got Dorothy into it?” Dean asked, surprised but concerned.

“Who’s Dorothy?” Castiel asked, perplexed.

“Charlie’s wife,” Dean answered. “Well, not legally, but her wife.” He covered his mouth and exhaled sharply. “How do you know?”

“Charlie told me Dorothy was gonna go to Lucifer’s house to work as a servant because she had to find some stuff about him. She didn’t tell me what, but she told me that I was gonna find out sooner or later.”

Castiel couldn’t believe that Charlie had decided to put his wife into Lucifer’s house. She was risking the life of the woman she loved to find out about Meg and Lucifer’s plans to kill Castiel. “But why did she choose to let her wife into Lucifer’s house? He is a dangerous man,” Castiel said, worried and devastated.

“Because Dorothy is as good as Charlie,” Dean began to say. “And Dorothy, unlike Charlie, can infiltrate wherever she wants. Everybody knows Charlie’s face. Charlie and Dorothy work together, but Charlie is the public face while Dorothy is the one that nobody knows. That’s why they make such an amazing team. She got Dorothy in because Charlie knows that she can find out everything and more. And if she is in danger, she knows how to fight.” He chuckled and rubbed his eyes. “She didn’t want us to know that it was Dorothy the one infiltrated because she knew we were gonna be upset.”

“Still,” Castiel said, really worried. “She is risking the life of her wife. That’s too much.”

Sam chuckled. “It’s not the first time. Besides, Dorothy is the one who agrees on doing it. She sometimes argues with Charlie because Charlie doesn’t want her to risk too much, but she ends up agreeing because Dorothy is incredible.”

Castiel took a deep breath. He still was worried, but both Sam and Dean seemed confident about Dorothy’s skills. “Still, it is a dangerous place and Lucifer can be able to do anything.”

“Just like your father,” Dean said, chuckling. Castiel glared him. “What? You know that’s true.”

“Yes, I know,” Castiel muttered. “It’s the chuckle you made what bothers me.”

Dean rolled his eyes.

“Anyway,” Sam added, clearing his throat. “Charlie also told me that whenever another servant was needed, Dorothy would bring Kevin in, for extra help.”

“Who is Kevin?” Castiel asked.

“Another good friend,” Dean answered. “Really smart and awesome, too. After Charlie and Dorothy, he is the next one who finds information.”

“She thought the plan very well,” Sam said, chuckling.

“Yeah.” Dean nodded and sighed. “Well, I’m relieved. If someone can find anything is Dorothy. And if she manages to get Kevin in, our chances of getting some proof are high.”

“Weren’t you a minute ago all convinced that it was impossible?” Castiel asked, not understanding why Dean was so sure all of sudden. He was glad that he was, but he wanted to understand why.

Sam chuckled. “Remember that time Metatron was kicked out of the parliament because somebody found all the illegal things he was doing?”

“Yes,” Castiel answered. It was a famous case. Everybody knew that Metatron had some of the nastiest business in town, but nobody could show any proof of it. Metatron was smart and he had covered himself perfectly, but somebody found evidence and he was pulled away from the parliament and thrown into prison.

“Dorothy and Kevin were the ones who found that evidence,” Dean said with a smirk. Castiel looked at Dean and then at Sam, surprised about that fact. He could now understand why Dean was so sure about finding evidence against Meg and Lucifer. “They’re so fucking awesome.”

“So, as I told you before, we only have to wait,” Castiel said, smiling relieved.

“Yes,” Sam answered. “Once they find evidence, you will be able to accuse them. And Dorothy and Kevin will testify. You don’t have to worry about that. All you have to worry is about not making Meg suspect.”

“Yes, I know.” Those were really good news. He trusted Charlie and he was sure she had infiltrated somebody who was going to be able to find evidence, but now that he knew who was working on it, he felt relieved. He still had to be careful, but he felt safer than before.

Dean ran his hand through his hair and he exhaled sharply. “It’s a fucking relief, to be honest.” He made a thoughtful face that had some traces of worry in it and Castiel looked at him, frowning. “But you’ve gotta be so fucking careful,” Dean added, looking at Castiel.

Castiel rolled his eyes. “I know how to take care of myself, Dean. I’m not a little kid.”

Dean was the one who rolled his eyes that time. “I’m not saying that, I’m saying that you’ve gotta be careful.”

Sam made an amused chuckle and Castiel and Dean looked at him, frowning. “You guys remind me of Jess and me,” Sam said with a gentle smile. Castiel knew that Jess was Sam’s wife, but he hadn’t had the chance to meet her yet. He looked at Dean, who was blushing and making that shy grimace of his. “Well, I guess it’s my time to part,” Sam said as he stood up. “If Charlie writes with news, come to see me as soon as possible.”

“I will,” Dean said, nodding. “Thanks for everything, Sammy.”

“Yes, Sam, thank you so much,” Castiel said.

The younger Winchester smiled. “No problem.” He nodded. “See you.”

“See you,” Dean and Castiel said at the same time.

Sam left the kitchen and Dean and Castiel remained in there, sitting side by side. Castiel watched how Dean absently moved his fingers on the table, as if he was looking for something he couldn’t find.

“Are you okay?” Castiel asked, placing his hand on Dean’s shoulder.

Dean hummed. “Yeah, just that—” He cleared his throat and looked at Castiel. “I wish we had something to prove what they’re up to now. I know that Dorothy will find something incriminating, but I don’t like the idea of Meg and Lucifer spending more time together planning something to—” He didn’t finish his sentence and swallowed hard. He didn’t want to say that word, and Castiel understood it.

“As long as the King is alive, I will be safe.” He kissed Dean’s cheek and rested his forehead on his temple, getting his arm around Dean’s shoulders. Dean found Castiel’s hand, which was hanging above his chest and they laced their fingers together. “They know that the King still has the power.”

“But how are you so sure that Meg won’t do anything before the King dies?”

“She is ambitious and she wants to be Queen, and she needs me for that. She has to wait until we get married to become Queen. Meg is aware that if I die, Lucifer will be forced to marry someone who isn’t Meg.”

“Yeah, but once Lucifer becomes King, he can marry anyone he wants to. You told me that even if you are supposedly forced to marry Meg after the King dies, you can marry whoever the fuck you want because you’ll be King. Maybe Lucifer has promised Meg that he’ll do the same once he becomes King.”

Castiel sighed. “Yes, but it will be really suspicious if I die under strange circumstances. The King isn’t stupid and he is aware of Lucifer’s thirst for power, so if I die under strange circumstances, he will suspect, and he will condemn Lucifer and he would be forced to find the next heir. Lucifer needs the actual King gone so I can become King and then I can be murdered, because then, nobody would be able to condemn him and take away his privilege of being the next heir.”

Dean groaned. “It’s so fucking messy.”

“I know.” He sighed and kissed Dean’s cheek again.

“How can you be so calmed about this? They’re planning on murdering you.” He turned his face to look at Castiel’s eyes. The sunlight that leaked through the windows made Dean’s eyes shiny, like two precious gems.

Castiel dedicated Dean a reassuring smile. “Because I know that their plan will only be effective when I marry Meg, and if everything goes right, I won’t marry her ever.”

Dean sighed and worried his bottom lip in between his teeth. “I hope you’re right.”

Castiel hoped the same. He knew that it wasn’t for sure, but he had high hopes on achieving what he wished for.

“Do you wanna watch me paint?” Dean asked with a tiny smirk. He didn’t want to talk anymore about Meg, Lucifer and conspiracy plans, and neither did Castiel.

“Of course, Dean,” Castiel said with a bright smile.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, for the kudos, the bookmarks, the comments and the subscriptions! :')

Dean had told Castiel to come that day to pick up the painting, but Castiel was not only going to pick up the painting of that place where he and Dean used to take baths on the hotter days of summer; he was also going to spend his time with Dean. He was going with the excuse of watching how Dean finished the painting, which would give him more time with Dean.

The carriage stopped in front of Dean’s house and Castiel got out of it. Usually, the driver had to open the door, but Castiel didn’t like that. It was a bit arduous for the driver to get off to open the door and then to go up again, so Castiel tried to avoid making him do such task.

Dean was waiting on the doorstep. Castiel knew that if they were alone, Dean would be smiling and leaning against the jamb, but given that the driver was there, Dean was standing firm and had a straight face. Dean was good at keeping up appearances, and that was really handy when they had to pretend that they didn’t have a romantic and sexual relationship.

“Good morning, Mister Winchester,” Castiel said, trying to hide the happiness he always felt when he saw Dean.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” Dean said, bowing his head. “I guess you came to watch how I finish the painting you commissioned.”

“That’s right, Mister Winchester.” He didn’t like doing that performance, but they were forced to. After all, they couldn’t make anyone suspect. “How long do you think it will take you to finish?”

Dean made a thoughtful face, quite different from the one he always did. “About two hours, Your Highness. Details take too long, I’m afraid.”

“Well, I don’t mind spending two hours, Mister Winchester. Your skills will never cease to amaze me, and you know I am an admirer of your art.”

Dean blushed and bowed his head, hiding his obvious and shy smile. “Your Highness is so kind.”

Castiel turned around and looked at the driver. “Come back at midday, Mister Plant.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the driver said, bowing his head.

As the carriage drove away, Castiel got inside Dean’s house and Dean came in after him, closing and locking the door behind him. Before Castiel could say anything, Dean cupped his face and kissed him passionately, making Castiel’s knees turn into jelly.

“You have already finished the painting, right?” Castiel asked, trying to catch his breath.

“I still gotta paint some details and sign it, but I’ll do it after we finish what I have in mind,” Dean answered with a smirk. He went back to kissing Castiel, deepening the kiss and Castiel moaned into it.

Castiel chuckled as Dean began to kiss his neck. “Isn’t too early for sex?”

Dean smirked. “It’s night somewhere in the world.” He found Castiel’s lips again and kept kissing him while he sneaked his fingers under Castiel’s shirt. “But I can stop if you want me to, of course,” he teased with a mischievous smile.

Castiel glared him.

Dean chuckled, amused. “I would take that as a ‘don’t you fucking dare to stop’.”

“Just shut up and kiss me,” Castiel said, fisting the front of Dean’s shirt and kissing him desperately.

He deepened the kiss and felt how Dean’s legs started to tremble as he moaned in the kiss. Dean began guiding them towards the stairs as they kissed and touched each other with restless and starved hands.

They reached Dean’s bedroom easily, bumping against the walls a couple of times, but they finally reached the bedroom. There was a lot of light. Castiel was used to come to that place during night, where the only light came from the gas lamps, but now he was during the morning, and there was a lot of light.

They began to take each other’s clothes, almost desperately, as if they wanted to tear their clothes apart. Each piece fell onto the floor, no one of them caring where they ended; all they cared about was to free their skins. Their hands traced each other’s bodies, seeking the skin revealed, desperate to feel that addicting warmth.

Finally, they were completely naked, and Castiel pulled away from the kiss and looked at Dean, beautifully naked. The many freckles of his body stood out under the sunlight. He looked even more gorgeous under the warm light from the sun. He smiled and Dean blushed, aware of what Castiel was doing, because he was also admiring his lover’s body under the sunlight, and when Castiel realized that, he blushed and kissed Dean senselessly.

Castiel guided them towards the bed, and he made Dean sat on the bed while he kneeled on the mattress, with Dean’s legs in between his. Dean’s hands traced down Castiel’s back as they kissed while Castiel moved his hands onto Dean’s chest, his fingers brushing Dean’s nipples, loving the way Dean’s breath hitched when he did so.

Dean pulled from Castiel’s lips and began to kiss one of Castiel’s nipples. Castiel tilted his head and moaned, parting his lips and closing his eyes as his hands moved on Dean’s hair, messing it as he pushed him closer. He loved the way Dean’s mouth and tongue felt against his nipple. He groaned when Dean dragged his teeth, hissing and arching his back with thanks to the pleasure. He felt like falling, but Dean’s grip on him was tight and he kept him in place.

When Dean pulled away from his nipple, Castiel cupped his face and they kissed, fervently. Then, he moved away from the bed, which made Dean frown at first, but his confusion disappeared when Castiel kneeled in front of him and placed his hands on the inner of his thighs, spreading them so he could settle in between his legs.

Dean placed his hands on Castiel’s hair and bit his bottom lip, lust and anticipation growing into him. Castiel began to kiss the inner of his freckled thighs, feeling how his cock twitched with every moan Dean made. He nosed his balls before he licked them, earning him a filthy groan from Dean, and Castiel smirked.

He proceeded to place kisses on the shaft of Dean’s freckled cock. Under the sunlight, he could appreciate every freckle on Dean’s cock, and he tried to kiss as many as he could. He soon reached the head of Dean’s cock and pressed a sweet kiss while he looked at Dean’s face. His face was flushed and his green eyes were a tiny circle around the dilated pupils, and he looked so beautiful.

Castiel wrapped his lips around Dean’s cock, without taking his eyes from his face, watching how Dean’s breath hitched before he moaned, and then, he swallowed his long and thick cock in one movement, until his nose was pressed against the golden and curly hairs of his groin. He hollowed his cheeks as he moaned around Dean’s cock, loving how thick it felt on his tongue. Dean’s grip on his hair became tighter and he moaned Castiel’s name loudly, tilting his head up and closing his eyes, looking blissed.

Castiel began to bob his head up and down, swirling his tongue around Dean’s shaft with every movement, trying to take Dean as deep as he could, watching the beautiful faces Dean made. He kept his hands in the inner of his freckled thighs, caressing them as he kept working his mouth on Dean’s cock, and Dean rolled his hips slightly, fucking Castiel’s mouth, making him moan around his thick cock.

As he kept giving pleasure Dean with his mouth, Castiel couldn’t help thinking how the whole country was supposed to kneel in front of him, an idea that he had never liked, but now, there he was, kneeling in front of Dean, sucking his cock as if there was no tomorrow, and it felt wonderful. For many people, Dean was only a man, a man with a talent for painting, but for Castiel, Dean was more than a simple man; he was the love of his life.

He kept bobbing his head, taking Dean’s cock as deep as he could, until its head was pressed against his throat, and he hollowed, and Dean’s hips rolled, fucking his mouth over and over again. Castiel increased the speed of his movements, making Dean moan and pant. He felt Dean’s cock twitching, and he knew he was close, so he pressed his lips tighter and moved his tongue effusively as he kept a steady rhythm.

Dean came into his mouth and Castiel swallowed his come, moaning around his cock. He loved that feeling and the taste of Dean’s release. He swallowed it all and he pulled away when he felt Dean was done. He kissed the head of his cock before he pulled away completely. Dean looked at him with a happy and sated smile and Castiel stood up and kissed him sweetly.

“You’re so fucking awesome, Cas,” Dean said, really happy.

“Thank you, Dean,” Castiel said, kissing him again.

“Lie onto your stomach,” Dean whispered after nibbling Castiel’s lip.

Castiel gave him a curious look, but he did as he was told. He lay onto his stomach while Dean moved away. Castiel turned his face to look at what Dean was doing. Dean smiled and spread Castiel’s legs and pulled him a little bit closer to the edge of the bed. Dean was kneeling onto the floor and he settled his face in between Castiel’s legs. He moved his face closer to Castiel’s ass, and Castiel immediately knew what Dean was going to do.

The moment Dean placed his lips against Castiel’s rim, Castiel moaned really loud and he felt Dean’s smirk against his skin. Dean began to kiss his rim, and Castiel moaned and rolled his hips, drawing his ass closer to Dean’s lips. Then, Dean began to nibble, softly, and Castiel groaned and hissed, marveled at the feeling.

Dean licked his rim, making sure that Castiel felt it, and it was maddening. Castiel fisted the sheets and rubbed his cock against the sheets, alternating his movement in between Dean’s mouth and the friction of the sheets against his cock, moaning Dean’s name loudly.

Dean placed his hands on his buttocks and spread them, giving himself more room to his mouth and tongue, driving Castiel crazy. His rim was so sensitive and Dean knew it. He kept kissing and licking his rim for a while, until his mouth reached his hole and he got his tongue inside, and Castiel’s body squirmed as he felt it.

Castiel loudly moaned and groaned as Dean fucked him with his tongue. He grinded onto his mouth, rolling his hips eagerly. It felt incredible. Dean moaned around his hole as he kept working his tongue in and out of Castiel. He felt Dean’s saliva dripping onto his rim and his hot breath against his skin, and it felt glorious.

Castiel came with a loud moan and with Dean’s tongue in his hole. He rolled his hips, rubbing his cock against Dean’s sheets and grinding onto Dean’s tongue. Dean kept fucking him with his tongue while he came and he licked one more time his rim before he pulled away and lay next to Castiel, who was panting.

“I stained your sheets,” Castiel said with a raggedy breath.

“Fuck the sheets,” Dean said before leaning in and kissing him. He rolled the two of them, until Castiel was with his back pressed against the mattress and Dean was on top of him. They kissed tenderly but deeply, and Castiel held Dean tightly, feeling happy and sated. “You loved that?”

“Very much, indeed.” He smiled and kissed him again.

“I’m glad,” he mumbled into his lips. He kissed him again and when he pulled away, he smiled. “You look beautiful under the sunlight.”

Castiel blushed and smiled. “You look beautiful, too, Dean.”

Dean chuckled and pecked his lips. “I’m gonna grab a cloth to clean up your mess.”

“Okay.”

Dean stood up and walked away from the bedroom. Castiel sighed, contently and looked at the bay window next to the bed. During the night, he had never realized how beautiful and nice it was. Castiel stood up and sat on the bay window seat and looked at the landscape. He could see Dean’s garden and the forest with all their beautiful colors.

“It’s awesome, right?” Dean said as he sat next to Castiel.

“Yes, it is,” Castiel answered, smiling. “I couldn’t appreciate the beauty of your bay window during night, but now, it is breathtaking.”

Dean smiled and began to clean Castiel’s come. “Thanks, Cas.”

He felt how Dean carefully cleaned him as he watched the magnificent view. “I love your house. I love everything about it.”

Dean pecked his lips and smiled before putting the cloth on the bedside table. “You could live here, y’know?”

Castiel chuckled. “Yes, but that would be inconvenient.” He rested his face against the window and sighed. He knew he couldn’t live at Dean’s house. He had to live in the palace once he became King of Arpret, because it was safer.

“Can I draw you, Cas?” Dean asked, suddenly. Castiel moved his eyes from the landscape to look at Dean, who still blushed when he asked for Castiel’s permission to draw him. “You look gorgeous under this light.”

“Why are you so passionate about the idea of drawing me naked?” Castiel asked, arching his brow.

“Because you’re so fucking beautiful, Cas. And you’re my muse, like it or not.”

Castiel blushed. “I’m your muse?” His words came out a little high pitched. That was the best compliment he had ever heard. He was Dean’s muse.

“Yeah. Always been,” Dean answered casually, but his cheeks had acquired a lovely shade of red. “So, can I draw you?”

“Of course, Dean. You know you don’t have to ask me that.”

Dean grinned and kissed his cheek. “Yeah, but I like asking you.” He stood up and walked towards his desk, where he grabbed paper and charcoal. He almost ran back to the bay window’s seat and he began to draw Castiel, who chuckled at Dean’s enthusiasm.

“I will never understand why drawing me fascinates you,” Castiel said as he slightly opened the window. The soft breeze came in and it felt nice against his sweaty skin. He could hear the sound of the leaves, moving with the breeze and the birds chirping in the distance.

Dean grinned. “I love drawing you. There’s always been something about you that captivates me, that wants me to make art. Especially your eyes. Fuck, Cas, I can never get tired of drawing and painting your eyes.”

Castiel blushed. “You are a sap.”

“Shut up,” Dean protested, kicking Castiel’s leg, which made Castiel laugh.

Dean kept drawing, only lifting his eyes from the drawing to look at Castiel momentarily. He could perfectly hear the sound of the charcoal against the paper. It was calming. He watched how Dean drew him and the way his lips made a tiny, almost unnoticeable smile as he drew.

“Have you ever drawn yourself?” Castiel asked, curiously.

“Yeah,” Dean answered, nodding. “It’s strange.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t see my face unless it’s in a mirror. The mental picture I have of myself is reversed. So, when I draw myself, it’s how it truly is, but I don’t know, it’s strange.” He made a concentrated grimace, one he always did when he was drawing something he didn’t want to screw up. “And I also have hundreds of freckles, so it’s a bit exhausting drawing all ‘em.”

Castiel grinned. “If I knew how to draw as well as you do, I think I would enjoy drawing every single freckle of you.”

Dean chuckled. “Why do you like my freckles so much? They’re childish.”

“No, they aren’t,” Castiel said, quite offended and Dean lifted his eyes from the drawing, looking at him with a silent question. “They are beautiful, Dean. You have stars and constellations on your skin. It is magical.”

Dean blushed and huffed. “Magical, whatever.”

Castiel cupped Dean’s chin and lifted his head until their eyes met. He didn’t like that Dean couldn’t appreciate the beauty of his freckles. “They are it. Your freckles are wonderful, Dean. Don’t ever think otherwise. You have a galaxy on your skin and that is extraordinary.”

“Thanks, Cas.” He smiled and pecked his lips before he kept drawing. It didn’t take him too long to finish it and he showed it to Castiel. “What do you think?”

Castiel looked at the drawing with a soft smile. Dean drew his body and part of the bay window, and he drew Castiel with his face turned to the window. It was beautiful, like everything he drew. “It’s fucking beautiful, Dean,” Castiel said with a bright grin.

Dean laughed and kissed Castiel happily. “Love it when you praise me like that.” He grabbed the drawing and the charcoal and went back to his desk. He put the drawing in his secret folder and then he walked back to the bay window, but he first grabbed the cloth and cleaned his hand from the remaining of the charcoal on his fingers. “You know,” Dean said as he sat down next to Castiel. “You could order me another painting so you could come here more often.”

Castiel smiled. “I will do it, eventually. I will wait some time, to be cautious.”

Dean nodded and turned his face to look at his garden. Castiel did the same. They were in a comfortable silence, enjoying the view and being close to each other.

“I love you,” Castiel said after a while, looking at Dean, who turned his face to look at him. “I love you so much.”

Dean smiled. “And I love you so much, Cas.” He approached him and placed his hand on Castiel’s nape and they kissed, softly and tenderly.

There was a moment when neither of them knew when one kiss finished and another started, and they didn’t care either. They kept each other close as they kissed, touching each other, tracing each other’s bodies, feeling their shapes.

Dean pulled his mouth from Castiel’s and he started to kiss his neck. Arousal began to grow in the two of them and Castiel moaned as Dean’s hand palmed his half hard cock. They still had time to do anything they wanted to, and both of them wanted to seize the privacy they had.

When Castiel’s cock was hard, Dean moved his hand to the inner of Castiel’s thighs, caressing the tender skin as he kissed his mouth, deepening the kiss, swirling his tongue with Castiel’s. And Castiel moaned into the kiss and nailed Dean’s back, rolling his hips, desperate for friction and Dean’s touch.

Dean pulled away completely from him and he knelt in front of Castiel. He placed his hands on the inner of Castiel’s thighs and spread his legs. Castiel let out a gasp when he saw the way Dean licked his lips and brought his hands to Dean’s hair immediately. Dean smiled and he wrapped his lips around the head of Castiel’s cock, not wanting to waste any other second. Castiel moaned softly as he felt Dean’s lips around his hardness and how his tongue teased him. Then, Dean swallowed him down in one easy and perfect movement, until his nose was pressed against his dark hair, hollowing his cheeks and moaning around his cock, and Castiel moaned and groaned, pressing the back of his head against the bay window.

Dean began to bob his head up and down, swirling his tongue on Castiel’s shaft, pressing his lips tightly. He bobbed his head perfectly and quick, driving Castiel insane, making his hips roll on their own, fucking Dean’s mouth, and tugging his hair, and Dean moaned really pleased at that.

Castiel had never felt too much sexual desire. He had masturbated a couple of times, thinking about Dean, whenever he had some time to himself, but he had never been really interested in sex, but that didn’t apply when he was with Dean. He was taught that sex was something raw, but it felt different with Dean. There was intimacy and romanticism in the sexual relationship he had with Dean, and he craved for that intimacy. He loved every kind of intimacy with Dean; from the moments when they sat alone and talked about everything and nothing at all, to when they used their mouths on each other to give each other pleasure.

Dean kept pressing the head of Castiel’s cock against his throat and hollowing his cheeks and Castiel kept fucking his mouth. Dean increased his speed when he felt that Castiel was close. He always knew when Castiel was reaching his orgasm. Castiel came in Dean’s mouth, moaning Dean’s name loudly, echoing in the bedroom and escaping through the open window. Dean swallowed his come, moaning enthusiastically.

He pulled away when Castiel was done and he sat next to him, cradling Castiel’s face in between his hands and he kissed him delicately, smiling, and Castiel found himself smiling as well.

As they kissed, Castiel felt that Dean was hard. “You get aroused by sucking my cock?” Castiel asked with an arched brow. 

He smirked, pleased by hearing Castiel’s words. Dean had a thing for hearing words that Castiel wouldn’t say. “Of fucking course,” Dean said, giving him an obvious look.

Castiel chuckled and kissed him. With some difficulties, he reached the drawer from the bedside table and he grabbed the lube, pulling away from the kiss when he had the crystal bottle on his hand. He pressed Dean against the bay window as he kneeled on the seat, placing Dean’s legs in between his. Dean watched him with curious eyes as Castiel poured lube onto his hand. Dean closed his eyes and hissed when Castiel got his lubed hand around his freckled cock. He stroked his hardness a couple of times until it was covered with lube and then Castiel got two fingers inside his hole, moaning at the feeling. He was still a bit loose from Dean’s tongue before.

“Let me do that,” Dean asked.

“No, I—” Castiel added a third finger and he stretched himself. He had come recently and he knew he wasn’t going to be able to get hard again, but he knew he was going to enjoy Dean fucking him. He added a fourth finger and felt that burnt he liked, although it felt better when it was Dean’s fingers. “I’m almost done.”

He did a little bit more of stretching and he pulled his hand away, wiping his hand on his body. He aligned Dean’s cock towards his entrance and pushed down a little, feeling how the ring of muscles gave in with the head of Dean’s cock. He placed his hands on Dean’s shoulders while Dean placed his on Castiel’s waist, and then, Castiel took Dean’s cock in one quick thrust that made Dean groan and moan, louder than ever.

“Fuck— Cas!” Dean moaned. “Are you okay?”

Castiel moaned. It was hard, but it felt good. “Yes,” he said, pressing his forehead against Dean’s. “I’m good.”

Castiel began to roll his hips, squeezing around Dean, who moaned and nailed Castiel’s skin, rolling his hips in a matching pace with Castiel’s. Castiel fucked into Dean’s cock, riding him with steady movements. Dean aimed for his prostate and Castiel moaned. He felt sensitive after coming, but he wanted to make it as good as possible for Dean, and judging by the sounds he was letting out, Castiel was doing a great job.

Castiel kept fucking himself onto Dean’s cock, making sure that he clenched around him all the time. He increased the speed of his hips and Dean made some of the most wonderful sounds he ever made, moaning Castiel’s name as if that was the only word he knew. It didn’t take him too long to come inside Castiel, filling him with his warm liquid and moaning Castiel’s name against his neck.

Castiel stopped his thrusts when Dean was done and he held Dean tightly and close, petting his short hair. Castiel was breathing hard, but not as much as Dean. Castiel sighed, happily. Dean was still buried inside him and they were holding each other. It felt perfect.

Dean pulled his face from the curve of Castiel’s neck and they kissed, tenderly and lazily, feeling each other’s smiles into the kiss. Those were some of Castiel’s favorite kisses.

“I reek of sex,” Castiel said, chuckling.

Dean huffed. “Wanna take a bath with me?”

“Of course.”

Castiel pulled from Dean, hating the loss of his cock inside him. His legs trembled a little and Dean managed to stand up and catch him before he fell. “Hey,” Dean said with a tender voice as he got his arm around Castiel’s shoulders and pressed him against his side, and Castiel leaned onto him as they walked towards the bathroom. “You shouldn’t have taken me in one thrust.”

“It didn’t hurt,” Castiel murmured. He felt tired, but not exhausted like when they had sex for the first time. “And I’m fine, I’m only a bit tired.”

“Okay, love,” Dean said before kissing his temple, and Castiel smiled at the pet name. Dean pulled his arm from Castiel and opened the tap, letting the water fill the bathtub and he grabbed a cloth. “While this fills, let me clean the mess I left in your ass.”

Castiel turned around and showed his back to Dean, who began to clean Castiel’s hole delicately. “I didn’t know you had running water.”

“Of course I have,” Dean said, huffing. “Arpret is very advanced with its pipes, its sewage and its running water system. I know the house is a bit far from the city, but I have running water. Did you think I had some kind of well or what?”

Castiel chuckled. “I don’t know. We don’t talk about water when I’m here.”

Dean rolled his eyes and huffed. He had finished cleaning Castiel and he walked towards the tap to close it. The bath wasn’t fully filled, but given that the two of them were going to get into it, the level of water would rise. Dean got into the bathtub and sat with his back pressed against its wall. “C’mere,” Dean said.

Castiel carefully got into the bathtub and sat down, pressing his back against Dean’s chest. Dean embraced Castiel’s waist with his arms, resting his hands on his stomach while his legs tangled with Castiel’s. When they were settled, Dean pressed a kiss on Castiel’s temple and then he nuzzled it.

“This is really nice,” Castiel said, turning his face to steal a kiss from Dean’s lips.

“I know, right?” Dean said, really happy. Castiel leaned against Dean, resting the back of his head on his shoulder. It was really relaxing to take a bath together. “You aren’t gonna sleep on me, are you?”

Castiel chuckled. “I could.”

“Don’t you dare.”

Castiel laughed and placed his hands on top of Dean’s. Dean kissed his temple again and pressed the sides of their faces. There was a tiny silence until Castiel asked, “Dean, you are part of the rebellion, right?”

“Yeah, obviously.”

“And so are Sam, Charlie, Dorothy and Kevin, right?”

“Right.”

“I know what they do, but I don’t know what you do exactly.” He had wondered about that for a while and he wasn’t sure why he hadn’t asked before.

“Right now, I’m fucking the Prince so he can tell me all his secret evil plans,” Dean joked with a mocking voice.

Castiel glared him. “You are a fucking assbutt.”

Dean laughed, because he always found it amusing when Castiel cursed. “I’m kidding you, Cas.”

Castiel rolled his eyes and gave him an angry look. “You have a terrible sense of humor, Dean.”

“At least I’ve got one,” he said, kissing his temple. Castiel dedicated him another glare. Dean smiled and pressed a lingering kiss on his temple one more time. “Most of the times I’m the one they contact. Given that I live outside the city, it’s easier to write me and then I deliver the news to the rest of the rebels. Also, most of the important meetings are held here, in my house, at night. It’s more discreet.” He breathed into Castiel’s hair and pressed a soft kiss onto his hairline. “I’m also the one who falsifies documents when they’re needed, and the one who makes those flyers that sometimes appear near the parliament.”

Castiel looked at Dean and frowned. He had seen those flyers that appeared stuck on the walls of buildings. They always had some drawings along with information about manifestations or about information that informed everyone about the corruption of a member of the parliament and things like that. He had always wondered who was behind them, but he wasn’t expecting Dean to be the author.

“You are the author of those flyers?” Castiel asked perplexed. Dean nodded. “They don’t look like yours.”

Dean chuckled. “That’s the trick, Cas. I change my style to make them look from someone who isn’t me.” He smiled briefly, and then he looked down, almost ashamed. “Are you mad at me now that you know my part in the rebellion?”

“Of course not, Dean,” Castiel said, honestly. “I support the rebellion. All of you are doing a lot to change things. The parliament is corrupted and you expose them and try to bring to justice those who deserve it and you fight for equality. That’s remarkable. Even if sometimes you do illegal things, but you do more good than bad.”

“So, the Prince supports the rebellion, huh?” Dean said amazed. “These are crazy times.”

“Shut up, Dean,” Castiel said, rolling his eyes and leaning the back of his head on Dean’s shoulder again. “You said it yourself, I have always been a bit of a rebel.”

“Yeah, and I’ve always loved you for that.” He kissed his lips, happily.

“And that’s all you do?” Castiel asked.

“Sometimes I investigate and find stuff people need for disguises or I help Charlie with anything she needs, but what I mostly do is what I mentioned before,” he explained, sighing. “Why are you asking me all of this now? You wanna arrest me or what?” he asked, teasingly.

Castiel rolled his eyes. “I was curious. I wanted to ask you before, but I don’t know why I didn’t. I knew what Charlie and Sam do, and I also know what Dorothy and Kevin do, even though I don’t know them, but I didn’t know what you do.” He looked at Dean and gave him a soft smile. “Thank you for telling me.”

“No problem, Cas,” he said, kissing him. “We should better take a bath in the proper sense of the word before you’ve gotta go, don’t you think?”

Castiel smiled. “Yes.”

They washed each other carefully. Castiel really enjoyed doing that. He washed Dean’s body and hair carefully and dedicatedly, just like Dean did with him. It was something ordinary, washing each other, but it felt right and good. Hopefully they would do it another time soon.

They dried with Dean’s towels. Dean helped Castiel to dry his hair, raveling it a lot, which caused Dean to laugh and Castiel wanted to be mad at him, but he laughed too and kissed him. Once they were dried, they got dressed. Castiel made sure to look as he exactly looked when he came inside Dean’s house, and Dean checked everything to make sure that Castiel was perfect.

After they were dressed, they went downstairs, to Dean’s studio and Castiel watched how Dean finished the painting, adding some details. It was exactly as Castiel remembered, as if they were there once again.

“And done,” Dean said after adding D.W. to the painting. “Do you like it?”

“I fucking love it, Dean,” Castiel said, grinning.

Dean laughed. “That’s the best compliment ever.”

Castiel chuckled. Suddenly, they heard the carriage and they knew their time together was coming to an end. “Before I forget it,” Castiel said as he grabbed some bills from the inner pocket of his blazer. “Your payment.”

“What the fuck, Cas?” Dean asked, startled and a bit angry, looking at the amount of money Castiel had just handed him. “This is more than what I usually get paid for.”

“I know,” he said, casually. “And I still think I’m not paying you enough for your extraordinary work.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”

Suddenly, the door opened, and Castiel and Dean were expecting a servant to come in and pick the painting and inform Castiel that they were ready to leave, but the servant wasn’t alone. “Uncle Chuck,” Castiel said, standing up, a bit alarmed that the King was there.

“Your Majesty,” Dean said, standing up and bowing his head. Castiel wasn’t looking at him, but he knew that Dean was as surprised and tense as he was.

“Castiel, Mister Winchester,” Chuck said.

“What are you doing here, Uncle Chuck?” Castiel asked, trying to sound worried about his uncle’s health instead of alarmed for his presence. The King was quite sick and he had to go everywhere with his cane, that’s why he tried to go out as little as possible, unless it was completely necessary, which meant that the King had decided to come to Dean’s house for some reason.

“I wanted to see the famous painter,” Chuck said with an easy smile. “If you have been staying here to watch how Mister Winchester painted, it must be because he’s a really good artist.” He began to walk towards the studio and he looked around at the many paintings Dean had. “My nephew has always had a great taste in art,” he said to Dean, who smiled shyly, but there was some awkwardness in his face that Castiel could notice. “No wonder why he has decided to pay you some visits, Mister Winchester, you are truly talented.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Dean said, with a lot of respect, that only Castiel could notice that it was fake. “You are so kind.”

“This is the painting you ordered, Castiel?” he asked, pointing at the painting Dean had just finished.

“Yes, it is,” Castiel answered.

“Incredible.” He leaned closer to the painting and looked at every detail of it. “Mister Winchester, this is breathtaking. It looks real!”

Dean smiled, but Castiel could still see the fakeness and wryness in his gestures; Dean didn’t like the King and Castiel couldn’t blame him for that. But Dean had experience in dealing with people he didn’t like, and he was great at wearing a façade. “Thank you for your compliments, Your Majesty.”

Chuck looked at his servant and indicated him to get the painting. “I believe my nephew has already paid you for it, right?”

“Yes, he did.”

Chuck nodded and watched how the servant left the house. Castiel knew he was up to something. “So, this is where you have been lately, right, Castiel?” he asked with a curious look. There wasn’t anything mischievous in his voice, but Castiel could sense that the King wasn’t happy with him spending some time with Dean.

“Yes, Uncle,” Castiel answered. He could see Dean’s confused eyes, but he tried to be as distant as he could; he couldn’t risk showing any emotion towards Dean in front of the King. “Mister Winchester has been kind enough to let me enjoy his company and watch him paint. He has also given me some painting advices, but I’m afraid I will never achieve his level.”

Chuck hummed. “It’s nice to know,” he simply said. The King looked casual, but Castiel knew that once they got inside the carriage, he and his uncle were going to have a long conversation. “Well, we must part, Mister Winchester. It has been a pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s been my pleasure, Your Majesty,” Dean said, bowing his head. Then, he turned towards Castiel and bowed his head again. “Good day, Your Highness.”

“Good day, Mister Winchester,” Castiel said, bowing his head.

Chuck turned around and began to walk away. Castiel mouthed a ‘sorry’ to Dean before he began to walk next to the King. He hated leaving without kissing Dean, but they couldn’t risk stealing a kiss while the King was there.

The King walked slowly, but they finally managed to get in the carriage. The servant sat outside, next to the driver, carrying the painting. The curtains in the carriage didn’t allow Castiel to see Dean, but he managed to take a quick last look when he closed the carriage door.

The carriage began to move and the King remained in silence for a while. Castiel didn’t say a word and waited for his uncle to talk first, which happened sooner than he expected. “Mister Winchester seems nice,” Chuck said. From all the words Castiel was expecting the King to begin with, those weren’t the ones he was expecting.

“Yes, he is,” Castiel said, sounding as casual as possible.

“So now, apart from riding a horse more often than you did, now you also go and pay a visit to an artist, right?” the King asked, sounding a bit sassy and a bit angry.

There was where the conversation was leading to; the use of Castiel’s free time. “I need to relieve myself from all the stress my duties cause me. Riding a horse through the forest calms me, and so does watching Mister Winchester paint.”

“Your hobbies are strange, Castiel.”

“At least are better than sleeping with almost every woman of the capital,” he said, sassily.

“Watch out your tone,” he grumbled, aggressively.

“What do you have against with what I do in my free time, Uncle?” Castiel asked, exasperated. He knew that if the King knew the whole truth of what he did in his free time he would be furious, but Castiel had to pretend that what he did in his free time was nothing out of the ordinary.

“I can accept riding your horse, but now you are spending your time with a peasant!”

Castiel clenched his jaw, really angry. “Don’t refer to Mister Winchester like that. Just because he doesn’t have a title, it doesn’t mean you can use that despot and disrespectful tone. You always do that with anyone who doesn’t have a noble title.” He hated that about his uncle. He always believed he was superior because he had the highest title in the country.

Chuck glared him. “What do you find so enjoyable about Mister Winchester? Because I know you don’t only go to his house to watch him paint.”

“We happen to enjoy the same books, and it is nice to find someone who I can discuss literature with.”

The King sighed, exasperated. “Of course.” He shook his head and looked away from Castiel. The King knew about Castiel’s passion for all kinds of culture and how he could barely talk with anyone about that, so he bought that lie. The King looked at Castiel again, and this time his blue eyes looked at him differently. “Meg mentioned me your lack of interest in her.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “You know that I have never been interested in her.”

“Yes, I know. But you aren’t interested in any woman at all,” he added, squinting his eyes.

Castiel glared him. “Have you actually considered the fact that not everyone is a womanizer like you, Uncle?”

“Don’t talk to me like that, Castiel!”

“You know it’s true!” Castiel exclaimed, irritated and angry. “If you weren’t a womanizer, you wouldn’t have slept with your cousin’s wife and she wouldn’t have born Lucifer! We both know how thirsty he is for power and how he wants to become King at all costs, something that can never be allowed to happen, and thanks to you I’m carrying a load I never asked for! All because you couldn’t keep your dick in your damn pants for once!”

The King’s face showed his rage, but in his eyes Castiel could see that he agreed with him. “I know, Castiel,” he said with a calmed voice, but there was anger in it. “Lucifer is my bastard, but he is still my son. If I hadn’t rejected him the way I did, maybe he wouldn’t have turned out the way he did.” He looked absently at Castiel. Talking about Lucifer was always a touchy subject. “That’s why you have to give Meg an heir once you get married, because your future child will be the next in line to wear the crown and that will made things harder for Lucifer.”

Castiel sighed. He wasn’t going to marry Meg and much less to get her pregnant. He was going to marry Dean. The problem would come once he had to name an heir, because he and Dean couldn’t have children, but he would think about that later. Now they had to change all the laws he wanted to change to be with the man he loved and allow everyone to be with the person they loved, regardless of their sex or skin color.

“Still,” the King kept saying. “You haven’t shown any interest towards any woman, and that’s kind of disturbing.”

Castiel exhaled sharply. He felt the urge to fist his hands, but he remained still. A single gesture could betray him and he couldn’t let that happen. “Because I haven’t met the right one, Uncle,” he said absently. He wasn’t interested in women or in men; he was only interested in Dean.

The King made a rogue smile. “I didn’t know you were a romantic, Castiel.” He chuckled, and Castiel wondered what the King found so amusing about that, but he didn’t ask. “But while you wait for the right one, you should practice a little. Trust me, it will come in handy.”

Castiel frowned, not knowing what the King meant, and he looked at him, wanting an explanation. The King arched his eyebrows repeatedly, a similar gesture Dean sometimes did when he was implying something related with sex and Castiel knew what the King meant. Chuck laughed when he saw that Castiel understood what he meant, and Castiel rolled his eyes, thinking about all the experience he had thanks to Dean. But he didn’t say a word and kept his secret.

Seventeen years had passed since the first time he met Dean, and Castiel still had to lie to protect both of them.

“So,” Dean began to say as he laced his fingers with Castiel’s. They were on Dean’s bed, naked and sweaty from making love before. Castiel was laying aside, his chest pressed against Dean’s side and his chin resting on Dean’s shoulder. “The King doesn’t suspect about us?”

Castiel shook his head and looked at their joined hands. “No, he doesn’t. Although he mentioned my lack of interest in women. I told him that I was waiting for the ‘right one’.”

Dean huffed. “Did he believe that?”

He hummed in agreement. “He did.” He snuggled closer to Dean, who kissed his forehead and held him tighter. “I managed to act as if I didn’t have any kind of feelings towards you, although I got really angry when he referred to you as a peasant.” He made a disgusted grimace. “I hate it when he talks like that. He has some God complex because he is the King of Arpret and believes he is automatically superior to everyone.”

“Kind of reminds me of your father,” Dean mumbled. Castiel exhaled sharply, silently agreeing with Dean. “But I thought the King was sick, but he seemed fine, except from how he walked.”

“It only affects him physically. Sometimes he has good days, but most of the time, he has to be on bed or sitting. But the gout is slowly killing him. He has been with the gout for years, and everyone knows he won’t survive this year. But he still goes out when it is extremely necessary, that’s why it shocked me that he decided to show up on your house.”

“He wanted to know why you were spending your mornings with the peasant, huh?”

Castiel gave him a warning look. “Don’t refer to yourself as such, Dean.”

“I was being sarcastic, Cas,” he said a bit exasperated and giving him an obvious look. Castiel sighed and buried his face in the crook of Dean’s neck, breathing into his characteristic smell. “And he doesn’t suspect about the increasing number of your horse rides either?”

“I explained him that it is my way of dealing with the pressure I have been through. He kind of supports it.” He kissed Dean’s neck and then nuzzled it. “I’m tired of having to lie constantly.”

“Yeah, I know.” Dean caressed Castiel’s shoulder as he kissed the top of his hair. Castiel closed his eyes and focused on the touch and the feeling of Dean. “I went to see Charlie yesterday,” Dean said after a while and Castiel moved his face to look at him. “Dorothy has managed to get Kevin inside Lucifer’s house. She also has managed to get some letters from Meg directed to Lucifer, but for now they don’t have anything incriminatory, but as Charlie told me, Dorothy has found in those letters that they will talk in deep about their issue after Meg comes back to the capital.”

Castiel sighed and rubbed his eyes. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she came back sooner than she told us. It wouldn’t be the first time she does it.” He didn’t want to deal with Meg again. He didn’t like her or having her around, but now he was also forced to watch out what he did and said. He looked at Dean, who had a concentrated and thoughtful grimace. “What are you thinking?”

Dean blinked, as if that gesture was the trigger to pull him from his thoughts. “I was thinking about the King insinuating that you hadn’t shown any interest towards women and I thought that maybe your father told him about when he found us kissing.”

“No, that’s not possible,” Castiel said, shaking his head. “Father didn’t tell anyone. Not even Mother or Gabriel, but Gabriel knew because of me. But Father didn’t tell anyone about us kissing. He told Mother that he saw me being friendly with a peasant. He kept the secret. He didn’t want anyone to find out the truth. He always cared so much about the reputation of the Novak name.”

“That’s twisted,” Dean exhaled.

“That’s one of the less disturbing things about my family. There are worse. Some of the things Father did were revealed, but there are a lot of terrible and disturbing secrets in my family,” he murmured, sighing. “Like Lucifer being the King’s bastard son.”

“What?!” Dean exclaimed, looking at Castiel with wide eyes. He pulled away a little, examining Castiel’s face. “You’re joking, right?”

Castiel shook his head. “No. I’m not. Everybody thinks that he is the son of the King’s cousin. No one except the King, Lucifer and me, and now you, know it. His mother knew it, but she and the King’s cousin have been dead for over a decade.”

Dean huffed, shocked by the news. “That’s why he’s so fucking eager to become King.”

“He believes he has more right than me, given that he is the King’s son. But any child born out of the King’s marriage, is the last one in line to inherit the crown. But I’m the only member left of the Novak family, that’s why he comes next in line.”

Dean sat down on the bed, resting his back on the wall. “Why didn’t you tell me this before? You didn’t trust me?”

“Of course I trust you, Dean,” he said as he sat down as well. He was hurt that Dean could think that he didn’t trust him. “How can you think so?”

“You didn’t tell me about your suspicions about Meg being Lucifer’s lover and you didn’t tell me that Lucifer is the King’s son.” Dean sounded hurt and Castiel hated it.

“I didn’t tell you about Meg being Lucifer’s lover because I wasn’t sure, you know that,” he said, frustrated; they had already talked about that. He looked at Dean, who clenched his jaw and whose eyes were a bit glassy. Castiel took a deep breath and looked down, ashamed. “But I didn’t tell you about Lucifer being the King’s son because I didn’t want to drag you into my family’s crap.”

“That sounds like a poor excuse.”

“It’s not an excuse, Dean!” he exclaimed, hurt and frustrated. “I’m ashamed of being part of this family! And I don’t want to drag you into that!” His eyes felt sore and he closed them, letting some tears out. He pressed his knees towards his chest, placing his arms around them as he buried his face in between his knees. He didn’t want to drag Dean into the Novak’s drama and secrets, but by keeping secrets from Dean, he was doing the same his family did. “I’m just like them.”

“No, Cas, you aren’t,” Dean said as he placed his hand on Castiel’s back, stroking it sweetly and soothingly. “You’re so fucking good for them. I can’t believe you’re part of that family, to be honest.”

Somehow, Dean managed to pull Castiel’s face from his knees and he cupped his face, wiping off the trace of his tears. “But I kept the truth from you that’s—”

“Yeah, but it’s okay, I know that you always think about myself before yourself. And your family is so crappy that I get it if you wanna keep some things to yourself.” He kissed his forehead and Castiel let out a shaky breath. “But you’ve gotta know something important, Cas,” he kept saying as he pressed sweet, little kisses on his face, bringing a tiny smile to Castiel’s lips. “What your family does, doesn’t define you. You were never like them. You aren’t like them. And you’ll never be like them.”

Castiel made a weak smile and he threw himself at Dean’s arms, holding him tightly as he buried his face in the crook of Dean’s neck. “I’m so sorry, Dean.”

Dean held him tightly and kissed his temple. “You don’t have anything to apologize for, Cas. I get it, really. I never wanted to become like my father, and there are things about him I haven’t told anyone, so I shouldn’t be this hard on you. Fuck, I’m such a jerk.”

Castiel chuckled. “Only a little, but it’s because you care too much.”

Dean huffed. “Makes me wonder why you even love me.”

Castiel pulled his face away and looked at Dean with a frown. “You don’t ask yourself that, don’t you?” he asked with a calculative look. Dean looked down and bit his bottom lip, not wanting to answer. “Dean.”

“Sometimes,” he recognized.

“Dean—”

“We aren’t having this conversation now,” he warned with a glare. He was about to pull away from Castiel, but the blue eyed man tightened his grip on him and kept him in place, something Dean didn’t like.

“We are having this conversation now,” he demanded. Dean rolled his eyes and groaned. “Why do you even think that, Dean?” He didn’t understand why Dean could ask himself something like that. Both of them loved each other. “We love each other. And after all these years, after everything we are doing to be together, how can you ask yourself why I love you?”

“It’s not that simple, Cas.”

“Then explain it to me.”

Dean gave him an angry and challenging look. Castiel knew that Dean didn’t want to talk about that, but Castiel wasn’t going to let that topic go. Finally Dean sighed sharply. “Because I don’t have anything to offer you. I’m just a fucking artist, nothing more.”

“You aren’t just a fucking artist, Dean!” Castiel exclaimed with hurt, making Dean’s eyes find his. “And you have a lot of to offer. You are smart, kind, brave, talented, extraordinary and funny, despite of your terrible sense of humor.” At the last part, Dean chuckled bitterly and rolled his eyes. “There is so much worth in you, Dean,” he added as he cupped Dean’s face. “Every day I thank having you in my life. For loving you and being loved by you. So don’t you dare to think that there is anything past, present or future that will make me stop loving you.”

“You’re such a sap, you know that?” Dean said, chuckling. Castiel rolled his eyes but smiled, although he was glaring him a little. “Do you really think that about me?”

“I think it and I know it.”

Dean leaned his forehead against Castiel’s and looked down. “So, you don’t think you’ll find someone better than me someday? Someone who deserves you more than I do?”

“You are the only one I love, Dean. The only one I want. And that will never change. It didn’t change during the fifteen years we were apart. It won’t change once we are free to be together.”

Dean smiled. “Okay.” He leaned and kissed Castiel’s lips briefly. “We’re two big messes,” he whispered, chuckling. “I love you, Cas.”

Castiel smiled. “I love you, Dean.” He kissed him sweetly, slowly falling onto the bed. Dean ended up with his back against the mattress with Castiel on top of him. When Castiel pulled away, he caressed Dean’s cheekbone and Dean leaned into the touch. “I guess that we both are under too much stress lately.”

Dean took a deep breath. “Yeah. There’s too much to worry. We shouldn’t let that affect us.”

“We are human, Dean. We can’t help getting affected by the situation.”

“I know, but I don’t like arguing with you.” He placed his hand on top of Castiel’s and intertwined their fingers.

“Be thankful that we are good at making up after a fight.”

The green eyed man chuckled. “Yeah, but—” He took a deep breath and got his other hand on Castiel’s hair, combing it. “We only get so little time together, and spending that time arguing or fighting, it’s stupid.”

Castiel couldn’t agree more with him. “What you are saying is that instead of arguing we should be having sexual intercourse?” he asked, teasingly. He knew that teasing was something that relieved Dean.

Dean laughed. “Well, I enjoy doing other things apart from having sex with you, Cas. You have such a low opinion of me.”

“Given that most of the time we spend together in your house we are doing all kinds of sexual things—”

“You don’t say no to any of those,” Dean interrupted with a sassy look.

Castiel grinned. “It is so difficult to say no when you are kissing me and touching me.”

Dean laughed again. “Fuck,” he said, sounding really happy. “I’m so fucking lucky for having you in my life, you know that?”

Castiel smiled and kissed his plush lips. “The feeling is returned Dean.”

Dean grinned and they kept kissing. Castiel knew he had to leave soon, but he and Dean could keep kissing for a little longer.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, for the kudos, the comments, the bookmarks and the subsciptions.
> 
>  **IMPORTANT:** My finals are coming, so I won't be able to update until **February the 13th**. It's a lo ng wait, I know, but I can't update until then, sorry.

“Small and light strokes,” Dean said as he guided Castiel’s hand.

“This isn’t a good idea, Dean,” Castiel muttered, leaving a tiny inch in between the painting and the brush. Dean had the idea of Cas contributing to the last painting he was working on. Even if Castiel was supposed to paint the leaves of a tree, something that wasn’t too important in the painting his lover was making, he wasn’t happy with the idea. “I’m going to spoil it.”

Dean kissed his cheek. “You won’t.” He nuzzled Castiel’s temple and it made Castiel sigh and smile. “I trust you.”

“Terrible decision,” he said, giving him a warning glare. “I’m not an artist, you—” But before he could complete his sentence, Dean moved Castiel’s hand, removing the space in between the brush and the canvas, and Castiel gasped at first. “Dean!” he exclaimed irritated, but Dean simply smiled and then he pulled his hand from Castiel’s. “What are you doing?”

“Letting you do it all by yourself,” he explained, smirking. Castiel dedicated him his deadliest glare. “Don’t give me that look; I know you’re gonna nail it.”

Castiel looked at Dean and then at the painting. He could hand back the brush to Dean in order to stop it, but part of him wanted to paint that tiny tree, even if he was scared of screwing Dean’s work, but Dean could always fix it, right? Castiel sighed and began to paint with small and light strokes, just how Dean had explained him before.

Slowly, the tree began to look like a tree, and when Castiel was quite satisfied with the result, he pulled the brush away and handed it to Dean, who smiled widely. “See? I knew you were gonna nail it,” Dean said with a happy and proud voice.

“You are insane, Dean,” Castiel said, sighing relieved. “And I do believe you are going to have to fix it.”

“No, I’m not,” Dean said, casually, and Castiel gave him a confused look. “I just have to give it some light and some shadow, but that’s all.” He began to mix the colors, turning the green Castiel had used for the tree into a lighter green. “You did an awesome job.”

“You are saying that because you don’t want to hurt my feelings.”

Dean chuckled. “You know I’m always honest with you, Cas.” He made a concentrated face as he gave lights to the tree and Castiel watched him with a big smile. Watching Dean paint was always wonderful, even if the night light didn’t allow him to see it perfectly. “Once I finish this tree we can do something else.”

“You know I don’t mind watching you paint, in fact, I love it.”

“Yeah, I know.” Dean grinned and looked at Cas with that bright stare of his. “But I’d like to cuddle with you in my couch, for example.”

Castiel grinned and blushed. “Sounds good to me.”

Dean kept painting and Castiel watched him, smiling all the time. He watched how Dean made the tree look even more real with every brushstroke he did. It seemed like a simple job, but there was patience and effort in every movement of the brush. It took a lot of hard work, but the brush seemed to be a prolongation of Dean’s hand, painting surely and firmly, never making a mistake.

“Well,” Dean said, rubbing his eyes before contemplating the tree. “I guess that’s enough painting for me today.” He stood up and grabbed his brushes. “I’m gonna wash these,” he stated.

Castiel stood up as well. “Let me help you.” He reached for the brushes, but Dean drew them away.

“Oil painting smells a lot, and that smell won’t go away from your hands in several hours. Do you want everyone in the palace asking why you smell like oil painting?”

Castiel shook his head, shyly. “You are right.”

Dean smiled. “But you’re so cute when you wanna help me,” he said, pecking his lips.

“Shut up, Dean.”

Dean laughed and they walked towards the kitchen. Dean went towards the sink while Castiel stood up, with the small of his back pressed against the counter, watching how Dean washed the brushes, dying the water with the many different colors he had used. As he washed them, he hummed a song that Castiel couldn’t recognize.

“Which song is the one you are humming?” Castiel inquired, curiously.

“I don’t think it exists, I just made it up,” Dean answered. He put one brush on a jar he had next to the sink; he always left his brushes there so they could dry during the night and picked them after he had breakfast. “Do you like music?”

“I do,” he confessed. “But I don’t like that I can only listen to it if I go to the opera or if I hire an orchestra. I would love to be able to hear music at home, alone.”

“You could tell that to my friend Ash. I’m sure he’d come up with something and he’ll invent it.”

Castiel chuckled. “That would be great. I hate having to listen to music surrounded by so many people, and most of all, I hate having to dance to it because I’m supposed to do it.”

As Dean closed the tap and put the last brush in the jar, he turned around and gave Castiel a curious and sassy look. “Do you dance?”

“I don’t think my terrible dancing skills can be considered dancing.”

Dean laughed. “How about you show me?” he asked with that charming smile of his.

Castiel frowned. “You can’t be talking seriously.”

“Yes, I am. C’mon, Cas, you can’t be worse than me.”

The blue eyed man rolled his eyes and sighed. He grabbed Dean’s hand and lifted if while he placed Dean’s free hand on his waist and then he placed his on Dean’s waist. “Waltz is the simplest one,” he began to explain. “You have to move with the music, which is always written in the same compass, one two three, one two three,” he began to move with Dean, teaching him how to move, swirling together. The kitchen was small, but they had enough space to dance. “One two three, one two thee,” Castiel kept humming.

Dean stepped on his feet a few times, something that made him blush and that Castiel found adorable. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry. It is comforting to know you are worse than me at this.”

Dean smiled and gave him a soft glare. “Is every dance supposed to be danced by keeping a big distance in between each dancer?”

Castiel nodded. “Yes. If people dance closer, it is considered inappropriate.”

Dean stopped dancing and he brought Castiel closer to him, until their chests were pressed together and he got both hands on Castiel’s waist. “So, dancing like this would be inappropriate?” He smirked and began to dance slowly.

Castiel smiled and brought his hands to Dean’s shoulders. “For starters, we are two men dancing together, that wouldn’t be illegal, but almost.” He chuckled and pressed his face against the side of Dean’s, breathing into his characteristic smell. “And secondly, this could be considered public scandal.”

“Why? We’re just dancing.” Dean held him tighter and leaned his face against Castiel’s. He started to hum a song, different from the previous one, but once again, Castiel couldn’t recognize the tune; it probably was made up, but he liked it.

“There are so many things that are harmless but they are considered inappropriate or illegal because they are different and people don’t like what’s different.”

Dean sighed and kissed Castiel’s temple. “The world makes no sense.”

“The world does make sense. Humans are the ones who don’t make sense.” He nuzzled Dean’s jaw and sighed. “How many things have humans done for the sake of God and killed for that? How many lives have been lost because we couldn’t understand something that was different? How many times have we repeated the same mistakes and never learnt from them? I wonder if there will be a time when things change and we stop being self-destructive.”

“We never learn, you said it yourself.”

Castiel chuckled, bitterly. He had always liked having deep conversations with Dean. He couldn’t talk about this with anyone else. “Maybe one day people will open their eyes and become more accepting. You once told me that ignorance is dangerous.”

“But sometimes ignorance isn’t the only enemy, Cas,” Dean said, never stopping the slow dancing. It felt good and intimate and Castiel loved it. For the first time, he was enjoying dancing. “Indifference is also dangerous.”

“Yes, it is.” He took a deep breath and held Dean tighter. “But times change, don’t they? Slavery does no longer exist, the absolutism doesn’t either, maybe in a couple of centuries, things will improve. At least I’m trying to improve that.”

Dean smiled. “The world needs more people like you, Cas.”

“Shut up,” he said, chuckling and he pecked Dean’s lips. When he pulled away, he and Dean rested their foreheads together, still moving to the song Dean occasionally hummed. “If we were born several centuries from now, we wouldn’t have any problem at being together.”

“Probably,” Dean agreed. “But I like to think that we won’t have any once you become King.”

“That’s a fact,” Castiel said, kissing him.

“Then, don’t think about such a long fucking future, thing about a closer future, about the one we’re gonna have.”

Castiel grinned. “That’s what I do.”

Both of them smiled at each other and shared a tender kiss. They kept dancing in the kitchen, holding each other in their arms, being close and happy. Castiel always felt safe in Dean’s arms; it always felt right, as if he and Dean were perfectly made for each other. He closed his eyes and sighed contently, letting Dean’s humming lull him as they slowly danced.

Not for the first time, and he knew it wasn’t going to be the last time, he asked himself the same old question; why what Dean and he had was forbidden.

Apart from coming to the parliament because it was his duty to attend some of the meetings now that the King was weaker and sicker, although he had always avoided coming to that place unless it was extremely necessary or urgent, Castiel also came to get to know the members a little bit better. He knew them, but he wanted to know more about them. The King was getting worse with every passing day, although he could still walk, but Castiel knew that his uncle was getting closer to death, and soon, Castiel would have to reform the laws he needed to reform and for that, he had to know the members of the parliament better. Charlie and Sam had told him a few things about the members, along with Dean, but most of that information was about what the parliamentarians were and did when they weren’t in the parliament, a really useful information, but Castiel also needed to know how they behaved when they were in front of the Prince and know about their façade.

After several hours chatting with every member, Castiel’s morning turned out to be successful, given that he knew the parliamentarians a little bit better and he knew how he had to approach some of them once he was able to reform the laws. He felt exhausted, but he was glad about what he had achieved.

He and his guards left the parliament, and when they were descending the stairs, a group of people started to yell at each other, arguing, catching their attention. Castiel managed to see that there were three men that seemed to be together, and they were in front of another man that Castiel could never mistake; Dean.

“You really think that you’re gonna win?!” the man in the middle asked, laughing in a poisonous way. “You’re delusional and stupid!”

“At least my cause isn’t sick, Alistair!” Dean exclaimed, with that usual cockiness of his.

“We better show you who you should respect, Winchester!” Alistair said, and suddenly he approached Dean and punched him in the face, and the other two men that accompanied him began to fight against Dean as well.

Castiel immediately descended the stairs, running, without taking his eyes from Dean and the group of men that were fighting against him. “Your Highness!” Both of his guards exclaimed, but Castiel ignored them. He knew they were following him, and that was his plan; he wanted his guards to step into the unfair fight Dean was.

Even if Dean was only one man, he fought better than the other three men. He punched and kicked them, and Dean was able to give more than he received, but he still got punched a couple of times.

“Stop!” Castiel ordered with a fierce voice as he stood in front of Dean. Alistair suddenly stopped and looked at Castiel with wide eyes while his guards stood in front of Castiel and Dean.

“Now the royalty defends you, Winchester?” The man who initiated the fight said, giving Castiel a deadly glare.

“Fuck you, Alistair!” Dean said, really pissed off.

“Arrest them,” Castiel said to his guards.

“For what are you arresting us, little Prince?” Alistair asked, and in that moment Castiel knew why Dean had been arguing with them. They were Lucifer sympathizers, and they used the same nickname Lucifer used to refer to Castiel.

“For encouraging a fight against someone who doesn’t share your political opinion,” he answered with a cold calmness. There were more people around them, curious citizens that were there while the fight took place and wondered why the Prince of Arpret was right there, solving the situation. “It is against the law.”

“It’s freedom of speech, little Prince.”

“Freedom of speech doesn’t involve fighting. If you want to defend your idea, you can do many things, but you aren’t allowed to fight against those who don’t share your opinion.” He knew that law well, because there had been riots and that law was created to stop fights in the streets. It had worked, given that the parliament represented the many ideas the people had, but not what Lucifer and his sympathizers wanted.

His guards arrested the three men. The two accompanying Alistair didn’t resist, but Alistair did. “And why aren’t you arresting Winchester, huh? He is a fucking rebel, and I’m sure he’s a fucking cocksucker too!”

Castiel glared him, rage filling his blood. “He was defending himself. He didn’t do anything illegal.” He kept glaring right at Alistair’s cold eyes. “And I don’t care if he has different ideas, he is a human, and he doesn’t deserve to be hurt because he thinks differently. And also, he doesn’t go around there fighting those who doesn’t share his point of view, so I suggest you to shut your mouth before accusing anyone with things that don’t matter because you don’t like that they think differently.” He dedicated him another deadly glare and then he looked at his guards. “Take them inside to the prison cells, I will bring Mister Winchester to the hospital.”

“Your Highness, that’s not—” Dean began to say.

“I insist, Mister Winchester.” He gave him a warning look, one that Dean knew it meant that he couldn’t make him change his opinion, so Dean just nodded.

“You aren’t our Prince!” Alistair yelled as the guard carried him inside the parliament. There were cells in there for those who committed crimes close to the parliament or against the royal family. “Lucifer is the true heir! You will be killed when he becomes King!”

“Add threat to the crown to his crime!” Castiel yelled to his guards, who nodded. He watched how his guards disappeared behind the doors, carrying the three men and he looked around, at the people who looked at him with curious eyes. “Is anybody else hurt?” he asked, and the people there said no or shook their head. “Good.” He nodded and turned to look at Dean. “Let’s go to the hospital, Mister Winchester.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Dean said, and they began to walk towards Castiel’s carriage. “Isn’t this risky?” Dean asked in a soft whisper, once they had left the curious people behind. “People will suspect that you’re helping a rebel.”

“I’m helping a decent human being,” Castiel whispered. “I have made it clear that I don’t care about your political ideas.” They reached the carriage and Castiel opened the door so Dean could get inside. “To the hospital, Mister Plant, please.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Mister Plant said.

Castiel got inside the carriage and closed the door, sitting next to Dean. The curtains in each window gave them privacy, so Castiel immediately cupped Dean’s face and looked at his wounds; he was bleeding from his eyebrow, his left cheek and from his nose. He also had a tiny bleeding wound on his bottom lip, which was swollen.

“Yeah, I look horrible,” Dean joked with a sweet smile.

Castiel felt his eyes glassy and shivered. This wasn’t the first time he saw Dean hurt; John Winchester used to beat him and Dean came to their meeting time in the woods with wounds and bruises, but he had never seen him bleeding like that. “I hate seeing you hurt,” Castiel said, caressing Dean’s face.

“You know this isn’t my first time. I’m fine, really.”

“No, you aren’t.” He shivered again and took a deep breath. “What happened? What were you doing outside the parliament?”

“I needed some colors, so I went to the city, and I have to go through the street of the parliament,” Dean began to tell. “I saw your carriage and looked around, hoping to see you, and then Alistair came with his two friends and began to insult me because he hates rebels and he supports Lucifer, things got nasty and then he started a fight and you arrived.” He took a deep breath and grunted, feeling pain. “This isn’t the first time he’s run into anyone from the rebellion and beat the shit out of us. The surprising thing is that he decided to start a fight close to the parliament, but I guess that if you didn’t come out, nobody would’ve reported anything.”

The carriage stopped and Castiel opened the door. “Let’s go, Mister Winchester.”

“I can go all by myself, Your Highness,” Dean said as he left the carriage after Castiel. “There’s no need to accompany me.”

“Mister Winchester, I am really stubborn and this isn’t negotiable. And I don’t think you could start an argument with me and win given that you are hurt, so stop denying me to help you and let’s get you inside the hospital.”

“Fine, Your Highness,” Dean said, rolling his eyes.

“Don’t roll your eyes at me, Mister Winchester.”

Dean bowed his head and they began to walk towards the hospital. Castiel didn’t miss the smile the driver of the carriage did and the way Dean was pressing his lips into a thin line, suppressing a grin.

When they got inside the hospital, almost everyone’s eyes opened widely when they saw Castiel, who knew that everybody was wondering why the Prince was in a hospital and why he was accompanying a man whose face was covered in blood.

“Dean!” A blonde woman yelled when she saw them. She immediately approached them and held Dean’s arm, afraid that he would fall at any moment; Castiel feared the same.

“Hi, Jess,” Dean said with a weak smile. Castiel knew who she was in that moment; Sam’s wife. Jess gave Dean a worried look and then she seemed to notice that Dean wasn’t alone, that Castiel was next to him, and she looked at him with wide eyes. “Yes, this is the Prince of Arpret.”

“I’m accompanying him,” Castiel said, politely.

“Okay, Your Highness,” she said. “Let’s take you somewhere where I can heal you.” She got Dean’s arm around her shoulders.

Suddenly, an old man approached them and gave Jessica an unpleasant look. “What do you think you are doing Mrs. Winchester?” he asked, really impolitely.

“I’m taking him to a room where I can heal him.”

“That’s reserved for doctors, not nurses.”

“I believe you can make an exception for me,” Castiel said, using the commanding tone he hated but he was forced to use sometimes, although he enjoyed it when he had to use it in front of a misogynist man who refused to treat a woman as an equal. “She is more than capable of healing him, and we would like to have privacy.”

“Of— of course, Your Highness,” the doctor stuttered, looking ashamed.

Dean, Castiel and Jess walked away from where they were and Jess took them to a room and sat Dean on a stretcher while Castiel closed and locked the door. “Thank you so much for that,” Jess said.

“Yeah,” Dean said, looking at Cas. “Jess is much better than any doctor in here, but she’s forced to work as a nurse because women can’t be doctors. But she could heal everyone with only one hand.”

“You’re exaggerating, Dean,” she said as she picked medical stuff.

“No, I’m not.”

Jess dedicated him a smile and she walked towards him, standing in front of him and she began to clean his wounds. “What happened?”

“Alistair.”

“Bastard.”

Dean hummed and then he hissed at the contact of alcohol against his skin, making Castiel gasp, and Dean looked at him. Castiel was standing in front of the door, keeping a distance in between the two of them. He didn’t know if Jess knew about them, so he didn’t want to do something that could betray them.

“She knows about us, Cas,” Dean said, rolling his eyes and smiling.

Jess smiled and looked at Castiel. “You didn’t know?”

Castiel smiled, shyly and shook his head. “I wasn’t sure. I’m used to having to pretend that I barely know Dean, so I’m used to do it anytime.” He approached them and Dean immediately grabbed his hand and laced their fingers.

“I’m a rebel, too,” Jess explained. “I’m the one who heals every one of them. But not many people know about that.” She kept cleaning Dean’s face, removing the trails of blood from his wounds and Dean held Castiel’s hand tightly when the alcohol burned his skin. “And I know what you’re trying to do. It’s something wonderful,” she added, giving him a sweet smile.

Castiel smiled and felt his cheeks acquiring a light blush. “Thank you, Jessica. I’m glad I can help to change things.”

“It was about damn time we’ve got someone like him, right?” Dean asked, giving Castiel some heart eyes.

“Yes,” she said with a grin. “I thought that Sam was teasing me when he said that you were over heels for him,” she added, giving Dean a playful smile and Dean glared her while he blushed. “I couldn’t believe you were actually in love.”

“What does that mean?” Castiel asked, frowning.

Jess began to stich Dean’s wounds with a firm grip; it reminded him of the way Dean’s hand never trembled when he painted. “Dean was the kind of man that never did romanticism. He sometimes slept around, but he never had a girlfriend or a boyfriend. Who would have thought that he wasn’t because he was in love with the Prince of Arpret?”

“You’re making me look like a jerk in front of him,” Dean complained.

“Dean, I already know that you are a jerk,” Castiel joked, earning him a deadly glare from Dean and a joyful bright laugh from Jessica.

“Don’t move your face,” Jessica said, moving Dean’s face so he was facing her. “Or I’m going to destroy your face.”

“Are his wounds too bad?” he asked, really worried.

“No, they are superficial, but they need to be stitched to avoid any kind of infection. He will be able to remove the stiches at home in two days.” She finished stitching Dean’s eyebrow and then she moved to his cheek. “And thankfully, his nose isn’t broken. Only some tiny veins. This isn’t the first time somebody comes in here after a fight with Alistair or any of his friends.”

“Are there more Lucifer sympathizers?”

“Yeah,” Dean answered in between a hiss. “But I don’t think there are more than fifteen.”

“Do any of you happen to know the names of some of those members? I could use that to take care of the situation before they attempt to hurt others.” He had to be careful with Meg and Lucifer, and now he also had to be careful with Lucifer’s sympathizers. Slowly, there were appearing more issues, and Castiel knew he had to take care of them sooner rather than later.

“I know about ten names of some of those. Some other rebels are looking for info about ‘em, they can be sneaky. I’ll write you a list once Jess finishes healing my pretty face.”

“It’s done,” she said, pulling away. She got all the stuff and trashed away the used gauzes and put back in place the things she didn’t use. Then, she got some paper and a pen and brought them to Dean. “People won’t suspect that you have this list?” she asked to Castiel while Dean began to write the names.

“Everybody must be questioning why I defended Dean and brought him to the hospital. If somebody asks, I will say that I helped him in order to get some information about those Lucifer sympathizers,” Castiel explained. He knew the King was going to ask what took him so long at the parliament, and he would also ask the guards, so Castiel needed to prove that he didn’t help Dean because of the goodness of his heart, even if that was the real reason. “They will accept this excuse better than I just wanted to help Dean.”

“His family is twisted,” Dean said, handing Castiel the list.

“And how are you two dealing with the secrets and hiding?” Jess asked, giving them a sympathetic look.

“It is really hard,” Castiel confessed, sighing. He folded the paper and put it inside his blazer’s pocket. “But we have no other choice for now.”

“We just gotta wait,” Dean said, standing up. He looked at Cas and made a tiny smile. Castiel looked at him; Jess had made a great job at healing Dean. He only had stitches and some parts of his face had a light purplish color. He cupped his face and smiled before he kissed him. When they pulled away, Jessica was smiling at them. “I guess we should better leave.”

“Yes, we should. Thank you so much for everything, Jessica.”

“Yeah, thanks, Jess.” He walked towards her and they shared a tight hug.

“No problem,” she said. “Take care. Don’t get into more fights,” she warned when they pulled away.

“I won’t,” Dean said, laughing.

They said goodbye and Castiel unlocked and opened the door, and he and Dean walked away from the hospital, and once again, they received more curious looks from the people in there. Castiel couldn’t blame them; the royal family barely visited the capital unless they had to go to the parliament or visit some noble family.

“Where are you heading to, Mister Winchester?” Castiel asked when they reached the carriage.

“To the art store, Your Highness,” Dean answered. “I can walk from here.”

“I would rather you didn’t, Mister Winchester.” He knew that it was unlikely for Dean to be engaged into a fight, but he didn’t want to take any risks.

He could see how Dean was fighting against the urge of rolling his eyes and complaining, after all, they weren’t alone. “I can take care of myself, Your Highness. I know your intentions are good, but there’s no need to drive me to the art store.”

“Mister Winchester, I insist. Tell Mister Plant where the art store is.”

Dean sighed and told Mister Plant where the art store was and then he got into the carriage before Castiel, who closed the door. “Now you take me to places in the carriage?” he asked sassily. “This is gonna bring up too many questions, Cas.”

“I can deal with that,” he said, careless. Everything he did was always questioned, so he didn’t care about being questioned about something more. “You are hurt and I don’t want anything else happening to you,” he murmured, looking at Dean and cupping his face.

Dean leaned onto his touch and he kissed him. It was soft but at the same time eager. There was a hint of blood in Dean’s lips, caused by the wound he had, but it was barely there. Dean got his hand on Castiel’s nape and deepened the kiss, making the angle and the kiss perfect. “You worry too much,” Dean said after pulling away. His thumb stroked Castiel’s nape, and it was comforting.

“I could tell you the same,” he whispered before kissing Dean again. The kiss was shorter, but as good as the other. “I will visit you tonight. Just to make sure you are okay.”

“Cas—”

“Dean,” he said with a warning look. Dean sighed and rolled his eyes. The carriage began to slow down and Castiel knew that their destiny was almost there. He stole another kiss from Dean, who softly moaned into it. “I love you.”

“I love you.”

“Be careful.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “You’re the fucking worst.” The carriage finally stopped and Dean opened the door. “Thanks for everything, Your Highness.”

“Good day, Mister Winchester.”

“Good day, Your Highness.”

Castiel closed the carriage but moved the curtain, watching how Dean walked towards the store. The carriage began to roll again, going to the parliament to pick up Castiel’s guards. He was still worried about Dean. He placed his hand where the metal feather was hidden under the many layers of his clothes and sighed.

The carriage stopped and the guards got in. They informed Castiel that Alistair and his friends were going to spend some long time in prison, and Castiel felt really relieved. They also asked him how Dean was, and Castiel told them that he was healed, that his wounds weren’t very severe.

They finally reached the palace and Castiel went directly to the dining room, knowing that the King was already there, waiting for him to have lunch with him. He found him there, and the moment he spot Castiel, he glared him, clearly irritated by his tardiness, but the worst of all wasn’t that; Meg was there too, and that made Castiel felt sick.

“What took him so long?” The King asked to the guards that had accompanied Castiel to the dining room. They always did that because they had to inform the King what Castiel had been doing while he was out.

“Some incident happened,” one of the guards began to explain. “Some Lucifer sympathizers started a fight with Mister Winchester and the Prince stopped them and commanded us to arrest them for encouraging a fight and attempt of regicide.” As he explained what happened, Castiel paid attention to the faces his Uncle and Meg were doing. The King’s expressions shifted from terror, to rage, to surprise and to pride, while Meg was trying her best to keep a straight face. “Then the Prince accompanied Mister Winchester to a hospital so he could be healed while we brought those three men to the prison cells.”

“That’s all?” The King asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The King nodded and shook his hand, indicating the guards to leave them. Once the three of them were alone, the King turned his face to look at Castiel. “Why did you accompany Mister Winchester to the hospital? He could have gone by himself.”

“He seems to be very fond on him,” Meg said, snarky.

Castiel glared her. “Maybe because his conversations are far more interesting and enlightening than yours.”

“Still,” the King said, giving the two of them warning looks, clearly irritated by their childish behavior. “I don’t understand why you would let yourself go to the public hospital without any guards at all!” He was furious, and he slammed the table, making everything tremble. “Are you insane?!”

“He was hurt and I wanted him to give me this,” Castiel explained as he picked up the paper. He handed it to the King, who gave him a confused look before he started to read the list of names to himself. “I asked him to give me some of the names of every Lucifer sympathizer he knew.”

The King looked at him perplexed and proud. “Amazing,” he said, chuckling amusedly. “This is great, Castiel.”

Castiel kept a straight and calm face. “We better be prepared for those who agree with Lucifer’s ideas. He is good at manipulating people and using them to get what he wants.” He didn’t miss the tiny flinch Meg did at his words. He knew that she was aware of his lover’s sympathizers.

“Excellent, Castiel. Excellent. I will talk to the police and give them this list,” he stated with happiness and pride. “I’m impre—” He couldn’t finish the sentence because he began to cough. He was getting worse with every day. It took him a few minutes to recover himself and he punched his chest, as if with that he could fix his health issues. “I’m impressed, Castiel.”

Castiel nodded and kept eating his lunch. Meg didn’t look at them; she was clearly thinking about how she would tell Lucifer about it. Castiel worried what she could tell Lucifer about Dean. But Dean wasn’t a threat to Lucifer; Castiel was it. If Lucifer decided to get over the throne, he needed to take down Castiel, Dean didn’t have anything to do with it. In any case, Dean was the reason of why Meg wouldn’t become Queen, but Meg didn’t know about his feelings for Dean, so he was safe.

“I still find it unusual that Mister Winchester gave you such list,” Meg began to say, and Castiel knew that her tone was hiding something. “Why would he do such a thing?”

“I intervened while he was being beaten and then I took him to the hospital. He was thankful and he asked me what he could do for me, so I asked him if he knew more sympathizers and told him to write me a list,” Castiel explained, keeping a calm voice.

“I have heard he sympathizes with the rebellion, so why would he argue to help you?”

“Because he is a smart man,” he said, looking right at Meg’s eyes. “And he knows that Lucifer is the worst thing that can happen to the country, so as long as he doesn’t get to reign, everyone will be better. He is a common enemy.”

“You should never forget that, Meg,” the King said, giving her a warning look. “We know that Lucifer is a good friend of yours, but he can’t reign. He would be a tyrant.”

Meg didn’t say anything and she kept eating. Castiel was sure that she was mentally arranging things so she could go and see Lucifer as soon as she could to tell him about that list.

When night came, Castiel left his studio and walked towards the stables, but he ran into Meg, who was walking through the hall.

“Let me guess,” Meg began to say with that pedantry voice. “You are going to horseback ride, right Clarence?”

“My name is Castiel,” Castiel said, irritated and annoyed. “And yes, I am.”

“You are horseback riding a lot lately.”

“What can I say? I enjoy the quietness of being alone, I don’t have to pretend to enjoy lame and trivial conversations or people that make me uncomfortable.”

Meg chuckled. “I make you uncomfortable, Clarence? Our marriage is going to be promising.”

“We both despise each other. I don’t understand your amusement.” He glared her. “And more than making me uncomfortable, you make me irritated and disgusted.” He turned around and kept walking away, not looking back at her at any moment, but he knew he had pissed her off.

He got onto his horse and rode towards Dean’s house, as fast as the horse could, and he arrived soon. Like always, he tied Emmanuel to the willow and walked towards Dean’s house, opening the backdoor with the key Dean gave him.

“Dean?” Castiel asked when he got inside.

“In the living room,” Dean said. Castiel walked to said room and found Dean, sitting on the couch, smiling at him as he put his book aside. “Hey, Cas.”

“Hello, Dean,” he greeted. He cupped Dean’s face and kissed him softly before he sat down, next to him. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Dean said, chuckling. “Stop worrying.”

He sighed and gave Dean an obvious look. “I believe that’s impossible for me.”

Again, Dean chuckled. “You’ve got that irritated look on you. Meg’s back?”

Castiel looked at him perplexed. “How do you—”

“I know you so fucking well, Cas.” He laughed and then he kissed Cas’ temple. “Is she gonna be for too long?”

“No, she is only staying for three days. She says she wanted to check out how the King was doing.” He sighed and leaned a little bit further down the couch, until the back of his head was resting on the top of Dean’s couch.

“Basically, she just wanted to see how long it will take the King to die, right?” Dean slid down as well, until he was mirroring Castiel’s position, but he turned his face to look at him.

Castiel smiled, bitterly. “Yes, basically.” He watched how Dean leaned his head onto Castiel’s shoulder and pressed his body against Castiel’s. Immediately, Castiel got his arm around Dean’s shoulders and started to caress Dean’s hair. “The King asked me and the guards why it took me so long,” he began to explain, almost mumbling. “He was furious when he found out I accompanied you to the hospital.”

“And then you told him that you just accompanied me because that way you could get info about Lucifer’s sympathizers?” Dean asked, and Castiel answered him with an affirmative hum. “I bet that pleased him.”

“Very.” He kept caressing Dean’s short hair, slowly and tenderly, almost as if he was massaging Dean’s scalp. “Meg seemed troubled by the list. I am sure she will inform Lucifer the moment she sees him.” He took a deep breath and looked at Dean; his stitches and his wounds were a corruption in his beautiful face, a sign of pain, and Castiel hated them. “I am worried she might tell Lucifer about you.”

“She might,” Dean murmured. “But his sympathizers can’t do much unless he becomes King, so I don’t think he’ll be too angry after knowing the names of his sympathizers have been revealed. In any case, he’ll be angry because you’re trying to remove the little power he has.” He lifted his eyes until he could meet Castiel’s. “In any case, you should worry about yourself.”

Castiel gave him a weak smile. “I have to worry about too many things.” He inhaled sharply and kept looking at Dean’s green eyes. They were always comforting and safe, filled with so much emotion. “I have to worry about you, about the people in the country, about the rights and situation of every citizen, about the corrupt members of the parliament, about Lucifer and his sympathizers, about Meg, about the King… It is too much to worry.”

“You’ll be a hell of a king,” Dean encouraged with a gummy smile.

Castiel huffed in disbelief. “I’m not sure of that. Being a king is such a heavy load. I never asked to become the heir of Arpret.” He rested his cheek on top of Dean’s head and he sighed. “I will try to do my best, but I don’t know if I will succeed. Power corrupts.”  
“Power corrupts those who desire power, Cas. You don’t want to be King. Yeah, I know you kind of want to be it so you can change things for better, but once you do that, I know you’d give up the crown if you could.”

“You have always seen the better aspects of my persona.” He gave him a sassy smile.

Dean rolled his eyes. “I just see the way you are. You’ve got your issues, like me, but I still love you. And I still know that there’s so fucking much goodness in you.”

“You have a terrible vocabulary, Dean,” he said, chuckling.

“It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t swear, right?” He made a cocky smile and he met Castiel in a kiss. Castiel kissed him softly, not wanting to hurt Dean’s wounded lip. “Fuck,” Dean breathed out. “You’re such a fucking great kisser.”

“And you are such a foul-mouthed.”

Dean grinned and he kept kissing Castiel. It always felt good to kiss and caress each other, just making out, without leading to sex, not that they didn’t enjoy having sex, they loved it, but making out felt great as well.

They kept kissing and touching each other with light touches, breathing into each other, euphoria slowly growing into them, until the kisses slowly stopped, leaving their lips swollen and covered in saliva, a ghostly taste of each other in their mouths.

Castiel smiled as he looked at Dean and he brushed his hair with his fingers. Dean chuckled. “You’ve got that face that means you’re about to say something cheesy.”

Castiel’s smile widened. “I’m glad to be here with you,” he said.

Dean’s eyes melted at his words. “’M glad, too.” He leaned and stole a sweet kiss from Castiel’s lips and then he cupped Castiel’s face with his hand, and Castiel leaned into his warm touch. “You’re turning me into a sap.”

“You have always been a sap, Dean. I only make you stop pretending that you aren’t.”

Dean rolled his eyes but he smiled. “You’re the fucking worst.”

“This is the second time you tell me that today,” he scolded, giving Dean a tiny glare.

“Be thankful that I love that about you,” he sassed, grinning cockily.

“Assbutt.”

“Dick.”

Castiel grinned. “I hate you.”

“Let me doubt that, Cas.”

Castiel chuckled. Then, he looked at the clock Dean had; he still had almost half an hour with Dean. “Tell me something random, Dean.”

“You have the prettiest cock,” Dean said causally. Castiel pushed him away, making Dean laugh. “I had to, sorry,” he said in between laughs.

“You are terrible, Dean.”

“Your Highness wanted me to tell him something random, so that was the first thing that came to my mind.” He grinned and leaned his chin on Castiel’s shoulder, giving him a playful look.

“Mister Winchester, you are insufferable and infuriating.” He glared him and made an angry grimace, but Dean kept looking at him with that soft and loving expression, showing him how much he enjoyed teasing him, that Castiel couldn’t remain mad at him for so long. “Tell me something random that I don’t know.”

“So you knew that you have a pretty cock?” he asked, arching his eyebrow.

“You tend to praise my cock a lot, so I already knew that.”

Dean grinned in that beautiful way of his. Then he pulled away from Castiel and made a thoughtful grimace. “You know a lot of things. Is there anything you don’t know?”

“I don’t know how to cook,” he answered, casually. He had never learnt because he wasn’t supposed to learn. He was a man and a member of the royal family, so cooking was something he never had to do.

Dean looked at the clock. “I don’t think we’ve got time to teach you how to cook something simple.” He pouted and he looked at Cas. “But I’d love to teach you if you want me to.”

“I would love that, Dean.” He smiled.

“But I’ve got some time to tell you some tips,” he said, happily.

Dean explained some cooking tips, mostly about bakery, because Dean really loved baking desserts, especially pies. He told him about the spices he used on the meat, or the dressing he used for his salads, about the sauces he made, about what he did to have a perfect melted cheese… He told him almost everything and Castiel listened to him, loving every second of Dean’s explanation.

Time to leave eventually came, it always did, and they said goodbye to each other and shared a long and passionate kiss. Castiel walked to his horse and gave Dean’s house a last look before he got onto his horse.

One day he would be able to stay and sleep in the same bed with Dean. He would be able to wake up next to him and they would share kisses and laughs. One day.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm updating a day earlier because I finished everything I had to do, so gien that I have the time, here's an update. Sorry for the hiatus!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, for the kudos, the comments, the bookmarks and the subscriptions :')

“You really pissed off Lucifer,” Charlie said to Castiel. It was night and they were at Dean’s house. Charlie wanted Sam, Dean, Castiel and her to meet so they could discuss some information she had about Lucifer and other stuff.

“I know,” Castiel said before sipping the tea Dean had made for him. “I was forced to show the King that I had the list with the names of Lucifer’s sympathizers, and Meg happened to be there. I know it was a bit reckless, but I also wanted to make Lucifer nervous.”

“Maybe he’ll make a mistake now that he knows you’re taking action about his plans,” Dean said, casually.

“Maybe,” Charlie said, sighing. “Dorothy and Kevin say that when Meg told him about that, he was really pissed off, more than usually. It seems that his patience is about to run out, but you still have to be careful.”

“I am well aware of that, Charlie,” Castiel said with a soft but obvious look. He sighed. “The King is getting worse with every passing day. I don’t think he will make it to the end of the month.”

“Is he feeling that bad?” Sam asked, concerned.

Castiel hummed in affirmation. “He is even aware of his situation.” His uncle always tried to pretend that he was doing better, but since the last two weeks, he had finally acknowledged that he could no longer pretend and he had decided to do as little as possible. “Lucifer must be aware of his health condition as well, so he must be already planning my murder. Have Dorothy and Kevin found anything?”

Charlie sighed and rubbed her eyes. “No, they haven’t. Lucifer and Meg try to be as discreet as possible, and for now, all they do is talk. Kevin heard them saying that they won’t start talking about any plans until the King dies.” She made an unpleased grimace. “I’m afraid we will have to wait until the King’s death to have any kind of proof.”

“Yeah, but if we’ve got to wait for that long, Meg will be able to kill him,” Dean said, with a lot of worry.

“Meg won’t do anything until she marries Castiel,” Sam explained, trying to sound calm. “That gives us two months. We all know that Meg wants to be Queen, and for that, she needs to marry Castiel, so she won’t do anything until then.”

“Besides,” Castiel kept explaining. “Meg would spend those two months studying my routines and the routines in palace to know when she can murder me. She can’t kill me at any time.”

“I still don’t like it,” Dean muttered.

Castiel gave him a sympathetic smile and placed his hand on Dean’s thigh, giving it a soft squeeze. “Everything will be okay, I promise you.” He leaned and kissed Dean’s cheek, and Dean blushed quickly. “Is there any more information?” he asked to Charlie.

“Every member of the rebel side of the parliament will vote in favor of the changes you want to make,” Charlie began to say. “Something we already knew it was going to happen, but now it is for sure. Also, there are some other members from the opposite party that will agree, too. And me and Dean have found some documents that show that Zachariah and some members of his party accepted bribes. Not to forget that I have registered all the times Zachariah went to that place Dean found about, so we have more than enough stuff to convince him to vote in favor of your reformations.”

“Thank you so much, Charlie,” Castiel said, really glad. Almost everything about reforming the laws was done and they weren’t going to find any obstacles. He felt how some heavy load disappeared from his shoulders. He still had to deal with Lucifer, but it was nice to have one less problem.

“Me and Charlie will be in the parliament with you when you have to go there to change all those laws,” Sam said, really enthusiastic. “In case there are some issues, but I don’t think they will be.”

“I can’t believe this is almost done,” Dean said, chuckling and his eyes shone brightly; he was as glad as Castiel was. It had been a long waiting with too much desperation and frustration, and now, things seemed to be finally heading to where they wanted them to be. “Now we only have to wait for you to become the King.”

Castiel hummed in affirmation and sighed relieved, rubbing his eyes, which suddenly felt tired. “Finally.”

“It must’ve been really frustrating for you,” Sam said with a sympathetic smile.

“Yes, but at least all the hard work seems to be worth it. I will never be able to thank all of you what you have done.” He looked at Dean, Sam and Charlie, making an honest smile.

“You don’t have to thank us anything, Cas,” Charlie said with a emotional voice. “Thanks to you, we’re gonna be able to have things we’ve been fighting for years.”

Her words made Castiel emotional and he felt his eyes getting a little bit glassy. He was glad that he was able to change people’s lives for better, that what he was doing was making a difference, a good difference.

They talked for a little bit more until Sam and Charlie had to leave, leaving Dean and Cas alone in the house. Castiel rested his hand on the table and looked at it, trying to process the fact that every single piece of the complicated puzzle was finally fitting it, slowly, and they were almost about to finish it.

“Hey,” Dean said, placing his hand on Castiel’s back, rubbing it. “You okay?”

“Yes,” Castiel answered, a bit tired. “I just can’t believe that the only thing left to do is to reform the laws once I become King.” He chuckled and looked at Dean with a soft smile. “Everything has been so frustrating and exhausting, but finally, we can change things. I think I’m dreaming.”

“You aren’t,” Dean said, smiling. He pulled him into a hug and kissed his temple. Castiel sighed relived as he embraced Dean. “The waiting is almost over, Cas.”

“I know.” He tightened his hold on Dean and nuzzled his neck. “I love you, Dean.”

“I love you, Cas.”

The King’s health suddenly became even worse, to the point where he couldn’t leave his bed. Castiel knew that in less than a week, the King would die. Even Meg knew it, and she immediately came to the palace to be there for the decease of the King. Castiel didn’t know if she was there to pretend that she cared or because she wanted to make sure that the King was finally going to die. He guessed that it was both things.

Castiel was in his office, taking care of some paperwork and business. Now that the King was getting closer to death, Castiel had even more work, and it was exhausting. It had been almost a week since he last saw Dean and he had the urge and the need to see him. Things in palace were tense and busy, and Castiel needed a break, so he decided to go on his horseback riding to see Dean.

“The King is dying, and you are going on your night horseback riding?” Meg asked as Castiel made it through the living room. She was sitting on the chair, drinking some brandy. “And people say I’m the one who is careless.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, because you have been worried in trivial activities,” Castiel began to say, as sharply and sassily as he could. “I have been very busy taking care of my duties, and I deserve to get some rest to clear my mind. And besides, we both know that you aren’t here because you care about the King; you are here because you want to know if he is finally going to die.”

Meg smirked. “Handsome and smart. Too bad that you don’t seem to appreciate my qualities, Clarence.” She took another sip of brandy. “At least I’m honest about it, not like you. You have always despised your uncle, so stop pretending that you care about him.”

“He is well aware that I don’t approve a lot of aspects of his behavior or the way he controls my life, but I don’t wish for his death. I am not that kind of person.” He had always hated every member of his family, except for Gabriel, but he had never wished for anyone’s death; not even his Father’s. He wished for things to change and for his family to learn about their mistakes, even to spend time in prison, but not death.

“And what kind of person are you, Castiel?” she asked, and Castiel was surprised that she used his name instead of Clarence. “You are like a closed book. I know that you are playing the role the Prince is supposed to play, but I know that you hide your true face under the mask of the Prince. So tell me, what kind of person are you?”

Castiel smiled, darkly. “I am afraid you will have to wait and see.” And he left the living room, without saying any other word.

He finally reached the stables and got onto his horse and rode towards Dean’s house. He and his horse knew the way perfectly. Castiel had always been good at memorizing paths, especially those that leaded him to Dean.

Like always, he tied Emmanuel to the willow and he walked towards Dean’s house, opening the door with the key and getting into the kitchen, where Dean was. His face lit up the moment he saw Castiel; Dean was always so happy when they reunited, and so Castiel was.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean greeted with a lovely smile.

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel said as he walked towards Dean, removing the space in between them and kissing him in a breathtakingly way.

Dean kissed him back, with the same passion as Castiel’s. Their kisses grew hotter and their hands were eager to feel each other, so they began to walk towards the stairs, wanting to get inside Dean’s bedroom, kissing the whole time as they made it to said room.

When they reached it, they began to undress each other with eager hands, not caring where their clothes ended up. It had been a week since they last saw each other, but it had been more since the last time they made love, and both were desperate to do it, to be as close and intimate as they got when they made love.

They ended up naked quickly, and Castiel began to push Dean towards the bed, the two of them falling towards it when Dean felt it behind his calves. Castiel was on top and Dean got his arms around his back, touching him and holding him, pressing him close and they kissed and rolled their hips, tentatively rubbing their hardening cocks.

Castiel traced Dean’s sides with his hands, loving the feeling of Dean’s body under his palms, feeling the shapes of his muscles and the sharp curves of his body, how his skin was too warm and Castiel loved it. He deepened the kiss and Dean nailed his back, moaning into it as his body squirmed under him.

The blue eyed man began to leave a trail of kisses down Dean’s chest, chuckling when Dean softly laughed when Castiel kissed his stomach; he was ticklish. He lifted up and reached the drawer, grabbing the lube and spreading it on his fingers and on his cock, and then he began to finger Dean, who closed his eyes and sighed contently. When Castiel added a second finger, he wrapped his lips around Dean’s cock and began to blow him, making Dean groan and squirm. Dean immediately brought his hand to Castiel’s hair, pushing him downer, and Castiel swallowed him completely, hollowing his cheeks when his nose was pressed against the golden curls of Dean’s groin. As he blew him, he kept fingering Dean, adding a third finger, and Dean was rolling his hips desperately, alternating from fucking Castiel’s mouth and fucking into his fingers.

Castiel looked at Dean’s face, and he loved the sight of his blissed face and the way he said Castiel’s name over and over again, as if he had lost the ability to speak and he only knew his name. Castiel moaned around his freckled cock and kept bobbing his head up and down as he added a fourth finger, and Dean moaned, louder than ever, surrendered to Castiel.

When he felt Dean was loosened enough to take him, Castiel pulled his mouth and fingers from Dean, who grunted. His whole body and face were flushed and he looked so wrecked. When he opened his green eyes, he looked at Castiel; the green of his eyes were just a tiny ring around his blown up pupils, and they were shining brightly. Castiel smiled and leaned, with the intention of kissing him, but Dean was the one who fastened things and smashed their mouths together, giving him a breathtaking and dirty kiss.

Dean got his legs around Castiel’s waist and he began to run his hand through Castiel’s messy hair, encouraging him to fuck him, so Castiel began to align himself until he felt the tightness of Dean’s hole in the head of his cock and he pushed in, both of them pulling from the kiss to moan as Castiel slid inside Dean.

Castiel closed his eyes as he got deeper inside Dean, overwhelmed with the warmth and tightness of Dean. He had been in this position for several times, but it still felt as if he was going to be burnt from his core when he felt Dean around his cock. Everything felt so intense and sensitive, and the closeness and intimacy they both felt with it couldn’t be described with words. The only thing Castiel could say was Dean’s name.

He exhaled sharply when he was completely buried inside Dean, and he began to pant. Dean was kissing his jaw and caressing his back, knowing that Castiel always needed a few seconds to start moving, because Dean knew how much he enjoyed being inside Dean and feeling him, even if Dean was already adjusted.

Castiel began to roll his hips, and everything felt even more intense. Dean rolled his hips, matching the pace of Castiel’s thrusts. They always found a perfect rhythm together. They knew each other and their bodies perfectly. Castiel fucked in and out of Dean with a steady pace, but keeping it sweet, aiming for Dean’s prostate over and over again, making Dean moan his name and clench around him tightly, and Castiel moaned and squirmed.

Dean kissed him and caressed his body. His hands were always restless when they made love; he needed to feel Castiel everywhere, and Castiel couldn’t blame him; he did the same when their positions where reversed.

They looked into each other’s eyes, saying millions of things and they kissed again, never stopping their movements. Castiel leaned closer, trapping Dean’s cock in between their stomachs, giving Dean some wonderful friction, and Dean groaned and dug his nails into Castiel’s blades, turning the skin white. He rolled his hips, fucking into Castiel’s cock, clenching really tight when Castiel’s cock touched that wonderful spot.

Castiel came first, and he moaned Dean’s name, feeling like his name was something blessed he was only allowed to say. He closed his eyes and kept rolling his hips as he came, feeling how his body was trembling, but he wanted to make Dean come, and after a couple of thrusts, Dean was coming too, saying Castiel’s name as if it was something holly.

When they were done with their releases, their bodies gave up and Castiel collapsed onto Dean, breathing into the skin of his neck. Breathing seemed as something that took too much effort at that moment, and so moving did as well. He felt how Dean’s legs slowly slid from his body, but his arms remained around Castiel’s back, holding him. Dean was breathing as hard as he was, and his chest rose and went down with every breath he took.

Castiel closed his eyes and sighed. He could hear the restless beatings of their hearts and it made him smile. When they were like that, Castiel could easily imagine that they were the only beings in the whole world. He nuzzled Dean’s neck and he heard how Dean softly purred. Castiel finally decided to move a little and he kissed Dean, feeling his smile into it.

“I love you, Dean,” Castiel said, caressing Dean’s cheek and looking into those beautiful green eyes.

Dean smiled. “I love you, Cas.”

They kissed again, softly, almost lazily, smiling into it. “I am going to grab a cloth,” he said as he pulled away from Dean, both of them hating it. Everything felt so cold once they were no longer joined. Castiel kissed Dean again, almost as an apology and then he went to the bathroom to grab a cloth. He went back to the bedroom and kneeled on the bed, with Dean’s legs in between his and he began to clean the mess of Dean’s come. “Roll,” he told him when Dean’s stomach was clean.

Dean did as he was told and rolled onto his stomach, getting his arms under the pillow. Castiel cleaned his mess from Dean’s ass, slowly and delicately, making sure that he didn’t hurt him. It didn’t take him too long, so he was going to clean himself from Dean’s come, but Dean rolled again and sat on the bed, reaching the cloth and taking it into his hand to start cleaning Castiel, who smiled and blushed slightly.

“Y’know,” Dean began to say as he tenderly wiped Castiel. “We shouldn’t spend so long without making love.” He gave him a cocky smirk and Castiel smiled and rolled his eyes. “We’re so fucking good at it.” He put the cloth on the bedside table and then he placed his hands on Castiel’s thighs, caressing them.

Castiel arched his brow. “I’m glad to know you only want me for that.”

Dean glared him. “You know that’s not true.”

“I’m teasing you, Dean,” he chuckled. He leaned and pecked his lips. “But you have such a high sexual appetite.”

“I’m just making up for all the lost time,” he explained, casually, shrugging one shoulder. “We have to have sex for all those fifteen years.” That made Castiel roll his eyes. “Hey,” Dean said, using a softer tone. One of his hands reached Castiel’s chin. “Even if we never had sex, I would still love you.”

Castiel gave him a soft look. “And what if we never kissed?” he asked, teasingly.

“I’d still love you. But it’d be so hard not being able to kiss you, because fuck, your lips are so kissable.” He leaned and they kissed again. When they pulled away, Castiel was grinning. “But if you want us to stop having sex—”

“Don’t you dare, Dean Winchester,” Castiel warned with a deadly glare that made Dean laugh. “Stop laughing,” he protested, squeezing his face.

“So you love fucking me, huh? And you love being fucked by me?” He made a cocky smirk and drew his face closer to Castiel, leaving a couple of inches in between them.

Castiel gave him an obvious and tired look. “Of course that I love it, Dean. Stop being a bragging assbutt.” He wanted to make a mad grimace, but Dean was laughing in that joyful way of his and it was contagious. “Stop it.”

“Just say that you love fucking me and being fucked by me,” he tattled.

Castiel glared him, but he had always secretly loved how happy it made Dean to hear him curse. “I love fucking you and being fucked by you,” he finally said, sounding a bit sassy. The grin Dean made was beautiful and Castiel melted into it and leaned to kiss him. “You are terrible, Dean,” he added as he moved to sit on the bed, next to Dean. He rested his back against the wall, which was a bit chilly and felt good against his warm skin.

“After all this time, I don’t know why you’re still surprised.” He moved his hand and reached Castiel’s. He slid his hand onto Castiel’s palm, easily, as if they had done that all their lives, and they laced their fingers together. Castiel gave him a soft squeeze and he rested his head on Dean’s shoulder, sighing happily. “I like this,” Dean confessed before kissing Castiel’s temple.

“Me too.” He gave Dean’s hand another soft squeeze. “It feels like we were in some secret world.”

“You’re so fucking cheesy, Cas.”

“After all this time, I don’t know why you’re still surprised,” he mocked, using a really serious voice.

Dean snorted. “I’m such a fucking terrible influence for you.”

Castiel lifted his head and kissed Dean’s cheek. “No, you aren’t. You are such an amazing influence,” he said, and Dean looked at his eyes and blushed. “I mean it,” he added, wanting to make sure that Dean saw that he was being honest.

“You think that about my vocabulary, too?” he asked, half teasingly, half worried.

Castiel grinned. “You wouldn’t be Dean Winchester if you didn’t curse.”

Dean chuckled and looked down, almost as if he was embarrassed. He squeezed Cas’ hand with his and he looked at their joined hands. “Don’t ever change, Cas.”

“Don’t ever change either, Dean.”

They smiled and kissed again.

“Here,” Dean said as he handed Castiel the mug with tea.

Castiel smiled and took the mug in his hands. “Thank you, Dean.” He approached the mug to his lips but didn’t take a sip at first; he let the overwhelming smell of the tea get into his nostrils and closed his eyes, enjoying its wonderful smell before he took a sip. Dean never drank tea, Castiel wasn’t sure if he even liked tea at all, but Dean always had tea at his home for his visitors. Sam, Charlie and Castiel liked tea, and Dean always made them tea, but he never made for him. Dean was like that; he always thought about anyone else before himself.

They were in Dean’s kitchen, standing, resting their hips against the counter. Castiel didn’t feel like sitting, and Dean was standing next to him, as close as he always was when they were alone.

“I’ve heard that the King’s sent the parliament a letter to tell them that he’s gonna die soon,” Dean said as he absently drummed the wood of the counter.

Castiel arched a brow. “How do you know that?” They had been very discreet with making the state of the King’s health public, but they wrote a letter to let the parliamentarians knows about the situation.

“Charlie,” Dean simply answered.

Castiel huffed. It was obvious that Dean knew that information because of Charlie. “I can’t believe you get to know about that but you didn’t know that I was the Prince of Arpret during all these years.” He made a sassy smirk and took a sip.

Dean glared him. “Hey, you were discreet, you barely made public appearances, and no offence, Cas, but as a Prince, you aren’t valuable for the rebels. Only politicians and the King are the rebel’s interests.” He gave him a grimace and Castiel pressed his lips into a thin line, hiding his smile. “Besides, I never told anyone about us, only Sam, and he only knew you as Cas. And also, I’ve told you that I work more in the shadow with the rebels. There are public faces like Charlie, and then there are people like me or Dorothy who aren’t public faces of the rebellion.”

“I love it when you get so defensive,” he confessed with a sweet smile.

Dean kicked his leg. “Dick.” He huffed and rolled his eyes. “I wish I could’ve known sooner, y’know?”

“Circumstances didn’t let us to meet sooner, Dean.” He sighed and placed one of his hands on top of Dean’s, and they linked their fingers. “Besides, I could have heard about you being an artist but I didn’t.” He shrugged and looked at Dean. “Thinking about things in the past that could have been and never were isn’t going to lead us anywhere.”

“You’re right,” he hummed. There was a tiny silence and he looked at Castiel with a worried expression. “You look drained.”

“I am drained.” He drank the remaining of his tea and left the mug on the counter before bringing his hand to his face and pinching the bridge of his nose. Suddenly, Dean got his arms around him and held him tightly, pressing him against his chest, and he kissed Castiel’s temple. Castiel sighed; Dean’s arms were strong and safe and they had always made him feel better. He closed his eyes and buried his face in the crook of Dean’s freckled neck, feeling how Dean rubbed his back soothingly. “It’s been a long and exhausting week,” Castiel explained in a murmur. “There are so many duties I have to take care of and too many things I have to do. Also, Meg is a pain in the ass and it doesn’t seem that she is going to leave anytime soon.”

“That sucks,” Dean murmured, softly, and he kissed Castiel’s temple again. His hand kept rubbing Castiel’s back, relaxing him.

Castiel opened his eyes slightly and got his arms around Dean’s waist, resting his hands on the small of Dean’s back. He loved it when Dean held him. “I don’t know how to feel about his incoming death,” he confessed, scared that his words would trouble Dean.

“What do you mean?” His question came out with his usual tone, without any signs of disturbance.

Castiel sighed. “Part of me is relieved that I won’t have to pretend anymore once he dies, which makes me look like an insensitive human being that wishes for someone’s death but—”

“We both know you don’t wish for his death, Cas,” Dean interrupted, and his voice showed honesty. “I don’t blame you for wanting to be free and stop having to explain everything you do. All your life you had to pretend to be someone you aren’t in front of your family, you had to play the role they wanted you to play, and you’re finally gonna be able to be yourself, so it’s understandable to look forward to that.”

Castiel huffed. “Still—”

Dean pulled away a little so they could see each other’s eyes, but he kept holding Castiel. “No still. You deserve to be who you truly are, Cas.”

He took a deep breath and went back to the position they were, sighing against Dean’s neck. “Nevertheless, it kind of makes me look like a bad man.”

“You’ll never be a bad man, Cas.” He tightened his grip on Castiel, who let out a silent wail, touched by how much Dean loved him. “What about the other part?” Dean inquired, and Castiel made a questioning sound. “You said: part of me is relieved. There’s another part of you that feels something else.”

“The other part of me is scared about the King dying because I will become King and I’m not sure if I’m going to be a good one, or if I’m ready at all. Power corrupts and I don’t want it to bring out the worst of me. I never asked for this.” He had thought all of that for a long time, but he had never told anyone, and Dean was the first one. Like always, Dean was the only one who Castiel could tell these things.

“I know. And I don’t have any idea how you can do all the things you do now,” Dean began to say with a soft voice. His hand, which was on Castiel’s back, went up, until he had it on Castiel’s hair and he started to softly stroke it. “But I’ll be there with you for everything you need. And so will Sam and Charlie. You want to help everyone, and we’ll help as much as we can. We’re not gonna leave you. I’m not gonna leave you. I’m gonna be there with you Cas, whenever you need me.”

Castiel inhaled sharply and fisted the back of Dean’s shirt. He knew that Dean always kept his promises and that he meant every single word that he said. “I shouldn’t be this selfish.”

“You’ve got every right to be selfish, Cas,” Dean said, resting the side of his face against Castiel’s head. “It’s your life and you’ve got every damn right to wish for things.”

Castiel moved his face away and he cupped Dean’s face. “What did I ever do to deserve someone like you, Dean?” he asked with a touched voice.

“You just decided to rebel against what you were told and decided to leave your room,” Dean said, casually, but he was grinning.

Castiel snorted and he kissed Dean, softly and passionately. “You are such an assbutt, Dean Winchester,” he said, grinning, and Dean rolled his eyes, but he mirrored Castiel’s smile. “But you are wonderful.”

“You insult me first and then you praise me,” he mocked with a funny grimace. “I don’t know how I should take that.”

Castiel pecked his lips and pressed their bodies closer as he pressed his face against Dean’s neck, holding him tightly. “Stop pretending to be mad at me, you are a terrible faker when it comes to me.”

“That’s ‘cause you know me so fucking well.” He kissed the top of his head. “Are we gonna stay like this for the rest of the night?” he asked after a while.

Castiel hummed in affirmation. “Do you have a problem with this?”

“No, Cas. I love holding you, in fact.”

Castiel smiled and held Dean a little bit tighter.

“Dean?” Castiel asked quietly as he got inside the kitchen. He closed the door behind him and saw that Dean wasn’t in the kitchen, so he went straight to Dean’s studio, but he wasn’t there either. “Dean?” he asked again, louder that time.

“In my bedroom!” Dean answered.

Castiel went upstairs and reached Dean’s bedroom, finding him sitting on his bed, with a book on his lap and a soft smile drawn on his beautiful lips. “Hello, Dean.”

“Hey, Cas,” Dean greeted, his smile widening. “I wasn’t expecting you to come tonight.”

“I know.” He walked towards the bed and sat next to Dean, kissing him before he rested his back against the wall. “Meg went to bed earlier than usually because she said she had a headache, so I just seized the occasion and came to see you.” Lately, given the King’s health, Castiel could only come to visit Dean two times a week, if he was that lucky. “What were you reading?”

Dean lifted the book so Castiel could see its cover. “Shakespeare’s sonnets.”

Castiel smiled. “You have always had a thing for Shakespeare.”

“He’s good, though I don’t like the way he treats female characters.” He made an uncomfortable grimace that Castiel found adorable. “I know that back then men were misogynist, hell, most of the men nowadays still are, but I still don’t like it.”

“I don’t like it either.” He agreed with Dean. He didn’t like how Shakespeare portrayed most of the female characters in his works. “If you have noticed,” Castiel began to say. “In his sonnets, he shows more love towards the man than to the dark lady. Maybe he was homosexual and he wrote women in that disturbing way because he didn’t like being forced to show interest towards them.”

“Maybe he liked both,” Dean said with a thoughtful face. “The way he writes about the dark lady suggests that he really liked the sexual relationship with her. Maybe Shakespeare loved both men and women sexually, but he only liked men romantically.”

Castiel lifted his eyebrows, impressed by Dean’s comment. “That seems possible.” He smiled at him. “Some of the most distinguished men of letters of our country would be mad at finding that one of the best writers in English history was attracted to men.”

Dean chuckled. “Yeah, they would.”

Castiel sighed and rested his cheek on Dean’s shoulder, and Dean immediately kissed the top of his head. “Could you read some of the sonnets out loud now?”

“Sure,” he answered, almost in a whisper, kissing Castiel in the same spot again. He cleared his throat and he was about to start reading, but Castiel stopped him.

“Wait,” he said as he pulled away from Dean, who gave him a curious look. Castiel slid onto the bed, and he lay on it, resting his head on Dean’s lap. “Is this okay?”

Dean huffed some sort of chuckle. “It’s more than okay, Cas.”

He placed his right hand on Castiel’s hair and began to caress it, softly, almost petting it, while he began to read out loud, and Castiel felt himself relaxing under Dean’s touch and hearing his deep voice reciting those sonnets. He felt warm and loved, and he sighed happily as he absently caressed Dean’s thighs.

“Are you gonna fall sleep on me?” Dean asked after a while. He looked down at Castiel, without stopping his caresses.

Castiel turned his face and looked at Dean with a soft smile. “I’m tempted.”

It made Dean laugh. “Want me to keep reading?”

Castiel rolled over, until his face was staring at Dean and at the ceiling. He brought his hand to Dean’s jaw and caressed it. Dean put the book aside and kept caressing Castiel’s hair. “I want to stay here.”

“Then, stay.”

Castiel chuckled. “You know I can’t.” He watched how Dean leaned into his touch. Dean craved Castiel’s touch as much as Castiel craved Dean’s. “But soon I will.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for an instant. He opened them when he felt Dean sliding down onto the bed, until he was lying completely in it, with Castiel’s head resting on his chest. Castiel rolled onto his side, until his chest was pressed against Dean’s side. Dean kept caressing his dark hair and Castiel kept caressing his jaw. “Charlie has told me that as soon as I’m crowned, we will go to the parliament and begin with everything.”

Dean hummed.

“Sam is also going to come with us,” Castiel added, and he lifted his eyes to look at Dean. “Will you come?”

Dean grinned. “Fuck yeah.”

Castiel smiled. He wanted Dean to come with them, because he was part of the change too, but he didn’t want to force him, but he was glad that Dean wanted to come too. He kissed him. “I’m glad.”

“You thought I didn’t want to go?” Dean asked, and Castiel nodded. “And miss all those fuckers’ faces when those laws get approved? No fucking way.” He laughed at it and Castiel rolled his eyes, but he smiled. “Also, you need all the support you can get to intimidate those fuckers. Besides, I’m the one who has registered the time of the members of the parliament going to Crowley’s place, and we’re gonna need to use that.”

He smiled. “I’m aware.” His hand moved towards Dean’s chest and he began to draw patterns of constellations. Dean’s chest was hidden under his shirt, but Castiel had most of Dean’s freckles memorized. “Nevertheless, it’s going to be challenging.”

Dean’s hand reached Castiel’s and they intertwined their fingers, a gesture that came naturally to the two of them. “Everything’s gonna be fine, Cas.”

“I won’t believe it until we make it.” He knew all the odds were in their favor, that their chances of winning were high, but Castiel couldn’t stop worrying. The fight wasn’t done, and the crucial point was yet to be achieved.

Dean moved their joined hands towards his lips and pressed and lingering kiss on Castiel’s knuckles, and the blue eyed man couldn’t help smiling. Dean Winchester was a rebel, a badass, he could be harsh and snarky, but when he was alone with Castiel, he was tender and caring. “We’re gonna win against those fuckers.”

Castiel gave him a sassy look. “Please, don’t call them fuckers the day we are at the Parliament.”

“Well, duh,” he replied with a roll of eyes. “I’m not stupid.”

“Of course you aren’t stupid, but I’m certain that you would love to call some members of the Parliament fuckers in their faces.” He gave him an intense and obvious look, and Dean chuckled, his face showing his delight at what Castiel had stated. “And if I’m not wrong, you would also love to kick them in the testicles.”

Dean arched a brow. “And you don’t?”

Castiel nibbled his bottom lip and shied away from Dean’s eyes, which made Dean laugh, getting his answer. “Shut up, Dean.”

“I didn’t say a word!” he exclaimed, still laughing, and Castiel kneed his leg, but it didn’t do anything to stop Dean’s laugher. “Your Highness scandalizes me!” he mocked with a lame voice.

“Don’t start that,” he muttered with a deadly voice and a glare.

Dean gave him an amused grin and began to use a toady voice. “Why must I stop, Your Highness? I’m just pointing the obvious. Your Highness would like to use the word fucker to refer to some members of the Parliament and would also enjoy kicking them in their lower parts. I’m so scandalized by those thoughts of yours, Your Highness!”

Castiel began to kick him, playfully, and Dean kept laughing. “Stop it! Stop it!” He was frustrated and kept kicking Dean, without hurting him, but his kicks were sliding Dean onto the bed, until most of his body was out of the bed and Dean fell down with a loud thump. “Dean!” Castiel exclaimed worried. He looked at the floor, finding Dean on his back, laughing really loud, hysterically, making his face flush. “Don’t laugh! I could have hurt you!”

But Dean found it hilarious. “Your Highness is unbelievable,” Dean said in between laughter.

“It’s not funny!” He softly punched Dean’s shoulder once Dean sat down. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m not.” He chuckled and looked at Castiel awed. Castiel had just kicked him off the bed and Dean was looking at him with that look that made Castiel’s heart stop beating. “You’re such a dork.”

He knelt on the bed and watched how Dean stood up. “And you are an assbutt for teasing me and laughing after I made you fall.”

Dean grinned and cupped Castiel’s face before he kissed him. “I love teasing you. Always have.” His thumbs caressed Castiel’s cheekbones. “Always will.” He leaned and they kissed again, and Castiel got his hands around Dean’s neck, pulling him a little bit closer. “And I’m gonna take my revenge for being kicked out of bed.”

“You couldn’t stop calling me Your Highness, so I think we are even.” He glared him but he smiled.

“I’m not so sure about that.”

Castiel chuckled and kissed him again. “It’s my time to leave,” he whispered, as if stating that with a low voice would make it less painful, but it didn’t.

Dean simply nodded, but his beautiful green eyes showed that he hated that Castiel’s time to go had finally arrived. “Let me walk you to the door.” He pulled away and offered his hand. Castiel took it and stood up from the bed. They walked out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen, holding hands as they walked. “When will I see you again?” Dean asked as he opened the kitchen’s backdoor.

“I don’t know,” he answered, taking a deep breath. “Depends on how things go in the palace.” He couldn’t tell when he was going to be able to see Dean again, and he didn’t want to promise him to come certain day and not being able to come. “But I will come as soon as I can.” He could promise him that.

“Okay.” His free hand came to cup Castiel’s face and they kissed, tenderly. Castiel hummed happily and pleased as Dean’s lips moved against his; he would never get tired of kissing him. “See you soon, then.”

Castiel smiled, nostalgically. “See you soon, Dean.”

Their hands pulled away and Castiel walked towards his horse. His lips were still warm and wet from Dean’s lips, and his hand felt the ghost of Dean’s hand. It would take a little to finally lose the remaining of Dean.

Once he was on his horse, Castiel looked at Dean, who was leaning against the jamb of the door. He waved his hand at him and Castiel smiled as he waved his before his horse turned away and ran towards the palace.

Meg’s eyes were on him as he read. Castiel had been aware of Meg’s stare for a while, but he didn’t want to address it, but it was becoming uncomfortable and annoying. She was an expert of being a pain in the ass, as Dean would say.

“What?” Castiel asked, really irritated after finishing the chapter. He looked at Meg with a tired and frustrated expression.

Meg smirked in that wicked way of hers. “Just trying to solve the puzzle you are, Clarence.”

Castiel rolled his eyes. “My name is Castiel.” He was exhausted of telling her that over and over again. He picked the book again, intending to keep reading. The night was slow, and the doctors were with the King, so both Castiel and Meg were in the living room, waiting for the doctors to finish whatever they were doing to the King.

“How does it feel to know the death of your uncle means that you are going to be King?” Her voice was soft but it had venom in it; it always had it. “It must be something complicated to feel both sad about his death but at the same time to feel thrilled to have all that power.”

“Those who desire power don’t have any idea of how destroying it can be.”

Meg arched her eyebrow. “Are you implying that you don’t want power?” She gave him a calculative look, trying to find answers in his face, but Castiel was good at hiding his real face; he had been doing it since he was a little kid in front of his parents, so he had years of experience. “Everyone wants power. Being the most powerful being in creation is something people would die for.”

“Power is something fragile, Meg.” He closed his book, but kept his index finger in between the pages. “It is true that being powerful can have its pros, but it also means that others crave for it. As you mentioned, some people would even die for having power, and that’s dangerous. Having power means that you get to do and achieve countless of things, but it also contributes to gain enemies if you overuse it, and that enrages some people and it also makes them jealous. The problem of being powerful is that it doesn’t mean being just. And that’s the trick of power; you have to be just and sensible with it. But at the end, power tends to corrupt, and those who had power, end up being owned by it.”

Meg remained in silence for a while, as if she was processing each word said by Castiel and letting them sink in her. “Interesting,” she finally said. “You must be the only Prince who thinks like that.”

Castiel chuckled, bitterly. “You, on the other hand, seem delighted for the power you are going to get once we get married.” They weren’t going to get married, but Castiel had to make her believe that their wedding plans were still on. He still had to be cautious, after all, Meg was part of the plan to kill him so Lucifer could be King, and Castiel had to keep playing his naïve and clueless façade.

Meg smirked. “I think that has always been very obvious.”

 _More than you are aware of_ , Castiel thought. He huffed some sort of chuckle and kept reading.

“What do you want, Castiel?” Meg asked after a moment. Castiel lifted his eyes from the book and looked at her with a frown. “If you don’t want power, then what’s what you would die for?”

 _It’s not what I would die for; it’s who_. But he couldn’t say that, or Dean’s name, but he needed to say something of Meg would suspect. “To live by my own terms.”

His answer seemed to satisfy Meg’s curiosity; it seemed as if she was expecting that answer. Meg was smart, and she had seen how Castiel didn’t like being under the King’s control in certain aspects. Castiel always tried to be a good nephew and he was good at faking it, but there were moment when he had to let out his frustration and anger in tiny things, and both the King and Meg knew it; they even found it reasonable, although the King didn’t like it, obviously.

“Your Highness,” a man said. His voice sounded louder than it was because of the silence that had fell after Castiel and Meg’s conversation. Castiel looked at the man, who was one of the doctors and put his book aside. “The King desires to see you.”

Castiel frowned but he stood up. He walked towards the doctor and the two of them began to walk towards the King’s bedroom. “Is everything alright?” Castiel asked.

“No, Your Highness. The King is about to die.”

Castiel inhaled sharply. He knew this day was going to come, but he was still not prepared for it. He didn’t like his Uncle, but he didn’t wish for his dismissal. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, Your Highness, we are.”

They stopped when they reached the door’s bedroom. Castiel didn’t know why the King wanted to see him, just to talk, he guessed, but he had a strange feeling in his gut. He opened the door and found the King in his bed, looking worse than ever, paler and sweating, with black circles around his eyes.

“Leave us alone, please,” Chuck said to the doctors, who nodded and left the bedroom, closing its door behind them. “Come here, Castiel.” He weakly moved his hand, encouraging Castiel to approach, so he did and he sat on the chair next to his uncle’s bed. Now that he was closer to him, the King looked even more terrible. “My time has come,” he mumbled with a weak smile. Castiel didn’t say anything; he didn’t know what to say. “You’re going to be King, and I’m aware that’s something you have never truly wanted, but—” He began to cough, and its sound was dry and painful. “But,” he kept saying. “I know you’re going to do a great job.”

Castiel frowned. “What makes you think so?”

“You care.” He smiled, weakly and shyly, a kind of smile Castiel had never seen his uncle before. “Even if you don’t want to be King, you care about the people of this country, more than I ever did.” He took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling. “I wonder what they’ll tell about my reign. What do you think they will tell, Castiel? What kind of things will they tell about me?”

“Do you want the truth or a lie?”

Chuck chuckled. “That question answers mine.” He sighed and looked at Castiel. “I should have done things differently.”

“You should have.” There was no point in lying to the King; he seemed to be aware of his mistakes at that moment, aware of the things he had done wrong; it had only taken him to be close to his death to finally acknowledge that. Castiel hoped that wouldn’t be his case. If he did something wrong, he wanted to be aware of it so he could fix his mistakes and learn from them.

Chuck shot him a glare. “You aren’t going to sweeten this for me, are you?”

“No, I am not. It wouldn’t change things.”

“You’ve got a point.” He sighed and made an agreement pout. “You know, it has always surprised me how different you are from all the Novak’s members.” His voice was becoming weaker the more he talked. “You have always been different, Castiel. Gabriel was different, too. I believe that’s a good thing. Now I can see that. It’s late to acknowledge it, but I think it’s a good thing.”

Castiel exhaled sharply, feeling a lump in his throat. It was the first time somebody in his family told him something like that. “I appreciate that.”

Chuck smiled and closed his eyes, exhausted. “Guess that when one is about to die, he sees things clearly. It would have come in handy back then.” His voice was almost a low hum, but Castiel could still hear him. “I’m sorry for the load you’re going to have to carry until the end of your days. It’s a heavy burden. It—” But Chuck didn’t finish his sentence.

Castiel looked at him. “Uncle Chuck?” he asked, but there was no answer. He asked again, and he still got no answer. He stood up and opened the door, finding the doctors in the hall. They came in and approached the King. Castiel watched them, not knowing how to feel about that moment.

One of the doctors worded what was obvious; the King had passed away.

No one worded the other obvious thing; Castiel had become the King.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting close to the end! Thank yo u so much for reading, for the kudos, the bookmarks, the comments and the subscriptions :)

The King’s funeral was held the next day. As Castiel watched the coffin descend into the grave, he was still trying to figure out how he felt about his uncle’s dismissal. He should be sad, but he wasn’t it; he wasn’t happy either; he didn’t desire the King’s death, but he felt hollow and he wasn’t sure why. His relationship with the King had been complicated and they disagreed in so many things. It was true that their last conversation had been the nicest one they had, close to an apology, but it didn’t fix all the mistakes the King had committed or excused them. Probably the King wanted to make something right for the first time in his life before he passed away; Castiel didn’t know for sure.

At the same time, Castiel felt relieved. For the first time in his life, he was the owner of his life. He wasn’t a puppet anymore, having to act and move like he was supposed to do. His strings had been cut off, and it felt marvelous and thrilling. He was now able to walk his own path. All his life he had been told how to talk, how to act, how to think, and he played the part he was supposed to play, hiding his true self from those who controlled his life, barely being who he truly was, only getting freedom when he was with Dean. But he still had to keep his façade for a little bit longer in order to change the laws he desperately needed to change. 

He hadn’t been crowned yet; the crowning ceremony would happen after the funeral, that was the tradition, but the burden of the crown was already present. Castiel was the King, and he had a big amount of power and millions of people under his care; it was a huge responsibility. He knew this day was going to come sooner or later, but he didn’t feel ready to be a King. But he had to be King, he was the heir, and if he abdicated, Lucifer was the next in line, and the country couldn’t have a sadist and dictator in the throne.

Castiel looked at Meg and saw that she was faking sadness. She was clearly glad that the King had died, because it meant that she was closer to her purpose; to become Queen. She still expected Castiel to marry her. The law stipulated that they had to wait two months after the King’s death to get marry, and Castiel had never been more grateful of being given that period of time. He needed less than a month to change the laws and approve homosexual relationships and marriage, along with the other ones he wanted to change, but once those laws were approved, he could invalidate the agreement of marrying Meg and he would marry Dean.

The problem was to keep Meg in the shadow to avoid her from finding out about those laws before they were approved. If Meg suspected a thing, she would immediately inform Lucifer, and Castiel was sure that would encourage them to murder him. Hopefully, Dorothy and Kevin would soon find some written proof about Meg and Lucifer’s plans to kill him; they were running out of time.

The coronation ceremony happened outside the parliament, in front of its big gates. A jury made Castiel promise to defend the country and its people, to be righteous and to be wise in times of need. Castiel wondered if those who reigned before him laughed at those words. They probably did on their inside. He wondered if they cared about any of those promises they were supposed to keep. They probably didn’t. He also wondered if the power of the crown felt to them as a heavy burden that wanted to consume them. They probably were happily drunk with its power.

As they put the crown onto Castiel’s head after his oath, Castiel managed to spot Dean in the crowd in front of him. He was with Sam and Charlie. The three of them stood almost at the end of the crowd, and it was hard to see them, but Castiel could always find Dean in the crowd. In between all those nameless faces, Castiel could easily find Dean.

They removed the crown of his head. Nobody wore the crown; it was only a symbol, an object that gave the crowning ceremony some glamour, or at least that was what most people believed. It was just a show in Castiel’s opinion. He wondered if Dean was smirking when he saw him with the crown and what kind of things he was thinking.

The coronation was over, and people clapped. Castiel couldn’t help the questions that were forming in his head. _Do they think I’m like my uncle? Do they fear I will be as careless as he was? Do they think I’m different? Will I be able to improve things to them? Will power corrupt me? Can they see how heavy my burden is?_ He didn’t know the answer to any of his questions.

After a while, the crowd began to disperse, and Castiel got into the parliament, where each member greeted him and congratulated him. Some even told him they would like to have an appointment with him as soon as he was able to do it. It was the tradition.

He was about to farewell the last member of the parliament when Charlie appeared out of nowhere. “Good evening, Your Majesty,” she said, faking a bitter voice. They were really good friends and they were fond of each other, but they had to pretend they despised each other.

“Good evening, Miss Bradbury,” Castiel said, making his voice sound a bit harsh. He hated talking to her with that tune, but they had to pretend.

“What are you even doing here, Miss Bradbury?” Zachariah asked, muttering. As the president of the parliament, he had to be the first one to greet the new King and remain next to him as every other member of the parliament talked to him. It was another tradition. “You aren’t a member of the parliament.”

“I’m aware,” Charlie said, careless of Zachariah. She disliked him as much as Castiel did. “But I wanted to greet His Majesty.” She turned her face and looked at Castiel. “Even though I’m not a member of the parliament, I’m part of some of the things that happen in here, and I promote some of the changes this country needs, as Your Majesty must know.”

“I am aware of it, Miss Bradbury. I also know you are part of the rebellion,” Castiel said. “I also suspect you aren’t here to just greet me.” He arched his brow, giving her a judgmental look that it made Charlie smirk.

“That’s the case, Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty,” Zachariah interrupted with a toady and irritating voice. Castiel fought against every sense of his body that was telling him to roll his eyes. “Are you going to listen to this feminist?”

Castiel glared him. He always hated the way Zachariah said the word feminist, as if it was something disgusting and something to hate. “I will listen to her. In case you haven’t noticed, she is part of the country and the people I have sworn to care about, so it is my concern to listen to her, whether I agree or disagree with her.”

Zachariah gave him a perplexed look. It seemed as if he was going to say something, but he closed his mouth and nodded. Castiel turned his face to look at Charlie, who was trying not to look smug and happy about what Castiel said. “Thank you, Your Majesty, it’s nice to know some people respect women,” Charlie said, giving Zachariah a poisoned look.

“I respect women!” Zachariah exclaimed.

Charlie gave him her deadliest glare. Castiel inhaled sharply and clenched his hands into a fist, trying not to snap him with something snarky. He couldn’t help remembering how Dean had stated that both of them would like to kick some of the members of the parliament in the balls.

“Please, Miss Bradbury, proceed,” Castiel said, trying to ignore Zachariah.

Charlie nodded and handed him an envelope. “I would like Your Majesty to take a look at some of the propositions listed in here to change certain laws. I think it would benefit us all.”

Zachariah snorted and this time, both Castiel and Charlie glared him. Charlie’s glare didn’t intimidate Zachariah, but Castiel’s did. “I would appreciate it if you could at least be respectful,” he muttered. Zachariah’s face went pale, but he nodded. “Thank you, Miss Bradbury, I would read this.”

Charlie nodded. “Good day, Your Majesty.”

“Good day, Miss Bradbury.”

Charlie walked away and Castiel put the envelope in his jacket’s inside pocket. “Are you really going to read that, Your Majesty?” Zachariah asked, trying to be cautious.

“As I have stated before,” Castiel began to say, clearly exhausted with Zachariah and his misogynist and toady behavior. How someone like him had become president was beyond Castiel’s knowledge. “She is part of the people I have sworn to care and protect. It is my duty to be concerned about everyone and I shall consider the things she and the rebellion propose.”

Zachariah nodded and bowed his head. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

Castiel nodded and began to walk away from the parliament. He had done everything he had to do for the day, so he was ready to go back to the palace. His guards followed him, as they had done the whole day. They got into the carriage with him, sitting in front of him, so Castiel seized that moment to look at Charlie’s envelope, well aware that she hadn’t put a list of laws that should be changed. She needed to appoint them at a certain hour to go to the parliament tomorrow so they could begin with everything they needed to change their laws.

_Tomorrow, 9 A.M._

Castiel would burn the letter as soon as he got to palace, just in case.

The day had been long, and Meg was exhausted so she went to bed sooner than she used to, giving Castiel the chance to sneak out and see Dean. Everybody thought that Castiel rode the horse through the woods that belonged to the palace, which were safe and he didn’t need any guards with him. The guards had accompanied him a couple of times when he started riding his horse, way before he reunited with Dean. The guards sometimes followed him when he wasn’t aware, something he found out a bit later, so the King trusted Castiel to ride the horse without guards, something Castiel had always been very grateful because he had used that leverage to sneak out and see Dean without anyone knowing.

That was the best thing about having to pretend constantly; nobody knew when he was wearing a mask and when he wasn’t.

He soon reached Dean’s house and tied his horse to the willow. As he walked towards the backdoor, he grabbed the key Dean gave him and opened the door, finding Dean sitting on a stool, reading. His eyes immediately lifted from the page to look at Castiel with a surprised and delighted look. It felt like coming home.

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel said with a grin.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean said, mirroring his grin and standing up. He walked towards him and they kissed happily, making Castiel melt into the kiss. “Wasn’t expecting you tonight,” he added with a frown.

“I could sneak out,” he explained, casually. “Besides, these incoming days are going to be a little bit busy, so I wanted to see you tonight. I don’t know when we are going to be able to be alone again.”

Dean chuckled and slightly blushed. He leaned and kissed Castiel again, softly and sweetly, making the two of them hum. “I get all tingly when you can’t wait so you sneak out to see me.” His voice was as smug as his face.

Castiel rolled his eyes. “Assbutt.”

Dean simply grinned and kissed him again. “Y’know,” he murmured when he pulled again. “I’ve never fucked a King, only a Prince.”

Castiel gave him some sort of glare mixed with an unamused stare. “You are terrible, Dean.”

“Yeah, but Your Majesty loves me,” he teased with a cocky grin.

“Don’t start with that.” He gave him a warning look, but Dean’s grin only became bigger. It was clear that he was going to keep teasing him, so Castiel kept speaking, “Just shut up and kiss me.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty.”

“I hate you so fucking much, Mister Winchester.”

Dean laughed in that joyous and contagious way of his, making it impossible for Castiel to be mad at him. “You don’t,” he murmured, fondly. It made Castiel smile. Dean cupped Castiel’s face and kissed him, briefly but breathtakingly. “Upstairs?”

“Upstairs.”

Dean pecked his lips and then he grabbed his hand, pulling Castiel with him as they made it to the bedroom. He twirled Castiel when they were in there, meeting him into a tender but passionate kiss that made Castiel’s knees turn into jelly. He got his arms around Dean’s neck, pressing their chests impossibly close.

As they kissed, their hands began to trace down each other’s body, taking off each other’s clothes with steady movements, theirs hands desperately seeking the warmth of their skins, restless movements that showed how hungry they were to feel the shapes of their bodies, to touch everywhere. It had been quite long since the last time they got to be like this.

When all their clothes were scattered onto the floor, Dean pushed Castiel towards the bed, and when the blue eyed man felt it behind his calves, he fell onto the mattress, with Dean on top of him, falling together a bit clumsily, guffawing at it, because for some reason both found it hilarious. Dean kissed him as his hands traced down Castiel’s tanned sides, spreading warmth on his skin with his caresses. Castiel embraced Dean’s neck, wanting him even closer, moaning into the kiss as Dean swirled his tongue with his.

They both had to pull away to breath. They looked at each other intensely, like they always did, saying with their eyes how much they loved each other. Both smiled and kept kissing, slowly rolling their hips together, caressing each other’s skin as their kiss deepened.

Dean’s mouth began to leave kisses on Castiel’s jaw, and then he reached his neck, lingering in there. Castiel moaned, burying his fingers in Dean’s light hair and closing his eyes. As Dean kept praising him with his mouth, his freckled hand moved up until he found his nipple, and he began to make circles on it, slowly hardening it. Castiel moaned Dean’s name over and over again, his grip on Dean’s hair tightening.

Dean kept leaving a trail of kisses on Castiel’s body; on his collarbone, on his chest, on his nipples, where he lingered under he felt them hardening under his persistent tongue, and on his belly. When he reached Castiel’s cock, he wrapped his lips around it, slowly swallowing him. Castiel immediately brought both of his hands to Dean’s hair and rolled his hips, groaning as he felt the wonderful heat and wetness of Dean’s mouth around him. Dean moaned around his cock, pleased at the feeling, and he began to bob his head up and down, hollowing his cheeks and swirling his tongue around the shaft, driving Castiel crazy.

He pulled away after a few moments, and Castiel groaned, but Dean shushed him with a sweet kiss and a roll of his hips, rubbing both of their hard cocks, both of them moaning and hissing at the friction.

Castiel heard how Dean opened the drawer to get the lube as they kissed. It didn’t take him too long to grab it and he pulled away as he spread the lube on his hands and on his cock. He leaned onto Castiel and kissed him as he pushed a finger inside him, stretching him. They kept kissing the whole time until Castiel had four fingers inside him. Dean didn’t tease him and brushed his prostate a couple of times, making Castiel arch his back off the bed, desperate to feel more.

Dean pulled out his fingers and wiped them on the sheets. His hands rested on Castiel’s thighs and Castiel immediately lifted his legs, wrapping them around Dean’s waist, pulling him down as Dean settled onto him. They kissed again; Dean cupping Castiel’s face and Castiel placing his hands on Dean’s blades, and then Dean began to push into Castiel.

Both of them parted their mouths, gasping and groaning as Dean slid into Castiel, overwhelmed by the feeling. Castiel loved how full he felt and how thick Dean felt. When Dean was fully settled inside him, Castiel let out a breath. Dean rested his forehead against Castiel’s, breathing into each other, feeling how Castiel adjusted around Dean. They gazed at each other; their irises were a tiny ring around the dilated pupil, but their eyes were saying too many things. They always did.

Dean began to roll his hips, fucking in and out of Castiel, who closed his eyes and moaned at the feeling, matching the rhythm of Dean’s hips, colliding them with every thrust. He dug his nails on Dean’s back, turning his freckled skin white under the pressure. He smashed his lips with Dean’s, kissing hard and almost desperately, having to part when both of them had to moan each other’s names.

They increased the pace of their movements a little bit. Dean slightly changed the angle a little bit, aiming for that sweet spot that left Castiel blissed and moaning Dean’s name as if it was something holy. His whole body squirmed and trembled under Dean’s, clenching really tight around Dean’s cock that Dean trembled, too. Dean hit that spot again and both of them moaned.

Castiel buried his face in the crook of Dean’s neck, clinging to him, never stopping the roll of his hips. Dean kept sliding in and out of him, aiming for his prostate over and over again, sending the two of them towards the cliff of pleasure and euphoria.

Castiel tightened his legs around Dean, not wanting to leave any inch in between their bodies. He moaned against Dean’s neck when he hit that spot, and Dean turned his face so they could kiss, the two of them gripping each other tightly.

“I love you, Cas,” Dean said with a raggedy breath. “I love you so fucking much.”

Castiel let out a sound between a wail and a moan. “And I love you so much, Dean.”

They kissed again, breathtakingly and desperately. They kept rolling his hips, increasing their speed. It didn’t take Dean too long to come inside Castiel, who came a moment later, painting their bellies with his release. Their movements didn’t stop until the two of them were done and Dean collapsed onto Castiel, exhausted and blissed, burying his face in Castiel’s neck. Castiel slid his legs from Dean, holding him tight in his arms as they both panted.

He closed his blue eyes and focused on the feeling of Dean in his arms, on their bodies still joined together, drained but euphoric by the moment, the feeling of stars being blown behind his eyeballs. He would never get tired of this.

He opened his eyes when he felt Dean tilting his head up. They smiled and met into a lazy but sweet kiss, humming happily into it. They sighed contently when they pulled away and Castiel stroked Dean’s hair soothingly, Dean leaning into the touch.

“I’m gonna grab a cloth,” Dean murmured before kissing Castiel’s palm.

“Okay,” Castiel simply replied.

Dean kissed him briefly before pulling away and leaving the bed. Castiel watched him and sighed, hating the coldness that reached him. Dean came back quickly, with the cloth in his hand. He kneeled onto the bed and began to clean Castiel’s mess on his stomach. When he was cleaned, Castiel rolled onto his stomach so Dean could clean the mess he left on his ass.

“You are grinning,” Castiel mumbled as he pressed his cheek against the pillow. “You love seeing your come in my ass.”

Dean chuckled and gave him a sassy look as he began to wipe him. “If I’m not wrong, you love it when you see your come in my ass, so don’t try to shame me.”

Castiel rolled his eyes but he smiled. “Assbutt.”

“Asshole.” He kept cleaning Castiel, and when he finished, he cleaned himself, leaving the cloth onto the bedside table when he finished. He leaned onto Castiel’s back and kissed his shoulder. “Y’know,” he began to say, and Castiel knew by his tone that he was going to tease him. “Fucking a King and fucking a Prince felt the same to me.”

Castiel turned his face to look him in the eyes. “You should do something with that terrible humor of yours.”

“I’m hilarious!” he protested with a fake indignant face. He ran his hand through Castiel’s hair, petting it. “Maybe you should get yourself a good sense of humor, instead.”

He scolded him and Dean ginned. “You are insufferable sometimes, Dean.”

“Look who’s talking.” He kissed his shoulder again and Castiel couldn’t help chuckling. He rolled onto his back, until he and Dean were face to face and they kissed. “So,” Dean said after the few kisses they shared. “How does it feel to be the King? You doing okay?” His voice showed concern; he knew that Castiel had never asked to become the King.

Castiel sighed and rested his hands on Dean’s nape, his fingers brushing his short hair. “It feels like having the heaviest burden upon my shoulders.” He avoided Dean’s eyes and focused on the galaxy of freckles on his shoulder. “I don’t know if I am going to be able to get through this without getting hurt.”

“You worry too much.” His thumb stoked Castiel’s cheekbone. “You’re gonna do great,” he added. Castiel looked at him, silently asking him why he believed that. “I know it’s a huge responsibility, but I know you, Cas, and I know you’re gonna try to do your best and help people.”

“But sometimes trying isn’t enough.”

“Well, at least you’re trying. Your uncle didn’t even try.” He shrugged casually and Castiel diverted from Dean’s gaze, feeling unsure. “Hey,” Dean said, cupping his chin and tilting his face so their eyes could meet. “You’re gonna do great, I mean it.” Castiel knew Dean truly meant it. His eyes were honest. “For starters, you’re gonna go to the parliament tomorrow with us so we can change all those unjust laws. That’s more than anyone’s ever done.”

Castiel took a deep breath and nodded. “Damn it,” he muttered, closing his eyes for a second. “It’s my first day as the King and I am already having a nervous breakdown.”

“If I were in your position, I’d have probably been leaving the country by now.”

Castiel chuckled and Dean smiled. He looked at Dean, feeling something heartwarming spreading from his heart to the rest of his body. Dean knew him better than anyone and he was always there when he needed him. He was so grateful for that. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being my constant support.”

Dean rolled his eyes and chuckled. “You’re a sap, Cas.” He leaned and kissed him. When he pulled away, he placed his elbow onto the pillow and rested his cheek on his hand, looking at Castiel as his free hand caressed Castiel’s hip. “Tomorrow’s gonna be an important and long day. Are you ready for that?”

“Of course.” He had been waiting for so long. They had been waiting for so long. He smiled, sheepishly. “Everything is almost done.” He found Dean’s hand and they laced their fingers.

Dean kissed his forehead and gave his hand a comforting squeeze. “We’re almost there.”

Castiel nodded and kissed Dean, feeling how he embraced his back and pulled him closer. They shared more kisses and gentle touches, smiling into each of them, until Castiel realized his time to get back to palace was almost there.

“I have to go,” Castiel began to say as he pulled away. He was about to leave the bed when Dean grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

“You’re King now,” Dean said, looking at him with pleading eyes. “Can’t you stay a little bit longer?”

Castiel sighed and brushed Dean’s hair. “We still need to be careful, Dean. If I delay more than usually, people in palace will suspect, and Meg might hear about this, and—”

“Yeah, I know,” he interrupted, almost grunting. “I just want you to stay,” he mumbled, blushing as the words came out.

“The waiting is almost over, beloved,” he whispered before pecking Dean’s lips. The blush in Dean’s cheeks became more intense, and Castiel couldn’t help grinning. “You always get a lovely blush whenever I call you beloved.”

“Fuck you, Cas,” Dean grunted, embarrassed.

“You just did it.”

It earned him a smirk from Dean. He gave him a fond look and rolled off the bed, releasing Castiel’s wrist. “Let me walk you to the door.”

They got dressed and walked downstairs. The night was chilly and there was a hint of rain in the air. Probably it was raining several miles away from where they were. After all, September had arrived a few weeks ago, and autumn was about to begin, bringing the cold and the rain, joined by the beautiful colors of the trees with its leaves falling and dying.

“See you tomorrow, Dean,” Castiel said, letting Dean’s hand go.

“See you tomorrow, Cas,” Dean said. Castiel nodded and turned away, leaving the porch. “Cas,” Dean called. When Castiel turned around, he found Dean standing only a couple of inches from him. He fisted the front of his waistcoat and pulled him into a fervent kiss, leaving the two of them gasping for air. “Goodnight.”

Castiel smiled, drunk in happiness. “Goodnight.”

He walked away.

Castiel arrived to the parliament a couple of minutes before the agreed time. He got into the building, followed by his guards. As he walked towards the long halls, he spotted Sam, next to a door, indicating him that was the room where the four of them were going to have their conversation with Zachariah. Castiel walked past Sam, but gave him a look to let him know that he had seen him.

They had planned how they should act a few nights ago at Dean’s house, when the four of them were reunited to discuss their plans. Castiel knew that he had to be the one that brought Zachariah to that room, and he knew the president would immediately agree to have a chat with him, unaware of Castiel’s real purposes.

It was easy to find Zachariah and convince him to join him in one of the rooms of the parliament. When they reached that door, Castiel told his guards to wait outside, and he and Zachariah got inside, finding Dean, Sam and Charlie in there.

“What are you three doing here?!” Zachariah exclaimed. It was hard to tell if he was shocked or scandalized. He turned to Castiel, who gave him a casual look as he joined his friends. “Don’t tell me these scums have convinced you to support their senseless crusade, Your Majesty!”

“Wow, you dare to call us scum when you’re the most disgusting person in this whole building?” Dean said with a pissed off and sassy voice.

“I will not tolerate you to talk to me like this!”

“Enough!” Castiel said, glaring Zachariah and giving Dean a warning look. At least Dean didn’t call him fucker in his face. “We are here to propose a change of laws,” he began to explain as he got a sheet with a list of all the laws they were proposing; legalization of homosexual relationships, interracial relationships and consider women as equals, written by Castiel. He had also added some clauses such as forgiving those who were imprisoned for being in a relationship that was forbidden or not condemning those who were in said relationships and hadn’t been arrested. “And we want you and your party to approve them.”

Zachariah gave him a cold look as Castiel handed him the sheet. He took it and read it, huffing bitterly. “This is a joke, right?”

“It’s not.”

He huffed again. “This is ridiculous. The King can’t modify or create the laws! Only approve them in case of a tie!”

“Actually,” Sam began to say with a smug and rogue smile. “The King can create laws as long as a seventy percent of the parliament supports him. But, when a King dies, the next one can propose modifying an existing law that hasn’t been modified during the last fifty years, and only a fifty percent of the parliament would be needed to agree with it to change said laws.”

“And as you can see,” Charlie pursued. “All the laws in that list are modifications of existing laws.”

“All we need is for you and your party to approve it,” Dean finished.

Zachariah gave them an incredulous look, but he looked at Castiel with rage. “And what makes you think I would agree to do that?” Zachariah muttered.

“Because if you don’t,” Castiel began to say, calmly and dreadfully. “We will expose all the illegal things you have been doing.”

“We have proof of the bribes you’ve been accepting from some of the most powerful businessmen of this city,” Charlie explained, showing him some papers with Zachariah’s signature, making him go pale and clench his jaw. “And also how you have been trying to bleach said money and paying the banks a commission so you could keep hiding your evidences.”

“We also have marked down the hours you and some members of your party have gone to Crowley’s whorehouse,” Dean explained, giving Zachariah a cocky and challenging look. “And you know that’s not a whorehouse with women.” He arched his brows, letting Zachariah know that everyone in that room knew that he and his colleagues paid for sleeping with men.

Zachariah was looking paler, but his cheeks were flushed. “Are you blackmailing me?”

“Yes, we are,” Castiel simply said, something that infuriated Zachariah. “If you don’t accept to approve those changes, we will expose you, and you will lose your charge, and we all know how much you love the position you are in. You would go to jail and lose everything. Do you really want to risk all of that?”

His grey eyes studied Castiel’s blue ones. He didn’t like being blackmailed, but Zachariah hated the idea of losing all his privileges. “And how is the rest of my party going to agree on supporting this?”

“The list of names of the whorehouse involves almost every member of your party,” Dean said.

“And we also have more corruption cases,” Charlie said. “Bleaching money, fraud, bribes… Every member of your party has some kind of nasty business, and all of them are joined to you. But of course, you are the most corrupted one.”

“So we guess all of them would rather agree on approving these laws than being exposed,” Sam said.

Zachariah grunted, defeated. He knew he was screwed. Castiel knew that part of Zachariah wanted to fight against them, that he wasn’t going to let them win, but they had tons of proof against him and the members of the party. Castiel, Dean, Sam and Charlie had declared him a war he couldn’t win, but Castiel could see in his grey eyes how in his mind, Zachariah was trying to find a way out of this, but he couldn’t find one. He gave up and grunted again. “Fine. We will approve the changes of these stupid laws.” He grabbed the sheet and put it in his pocket, angrily and frustrated. “You have disappointed me, Your Majesty.”

Castiel glared him. “You are the one with several pages showing the countless crimes against the law and you dare tell me I’m a disappointment?” He made sure that each word was bolded with disgust and fury, and Zachariah’s eyes showed he was intimidated, but he was trying too hard to keep himself together. “Tomorrow, at four P.M., I want these changes to be approved. I will be here, signing the approval, and I want you and your party’s support. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Good. Now leave.”

Zachariah bowed his head and gave them a deadly but harmless look before he turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, leaving the four of them alone.

“You’re so hot when you get in control like that,” Dean said with a big smirk, earning him three bitch faces.

Charlie sighed and began to pace through the room, a bit restless. “Tomorrow we’ll see if this worked.”

“It’ll work,” Sam replied. His smile was comforting and soothing. “He doesn’t want to lose what he has.”

“He loves power as much as he loves himself,” Castiel stated. “Still, I don’t like that he isn’t going to pay for the things he’s done.”

Charlie gave him another comforting smile. “Don’t worry, Cas. He will eventually pay for it. We’ll make sure of it. But for now, we need him. Even if we hate him and if we are all aware that he deserves to go to jail.”

“This is how politics works.” Dean put his hands into his pocket and Castiel let himself look at him; he was wearing a blazer, a vest, a shirt and dress pants. It was strange to see him that elegant, but it was also really attractive. “Throwing their shit to their face and blackmailing them to get things done works better than bringing them to justice.”

Sam chuckled. “That seems about right.” He buttoned his jacket and looked at his friends. “I guess we’ll see each other tomorrow, right?”

“I will come here sooner,” Castiel answered. “I have to, in order to get everything ready.” His heart was beating rushed, filled with the anticipation of almost being there, of achieving what he had wanted for so long. “I’m now going to start talking with some of the members of the other parties to let everybody know about tomorrow.” He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves and he smiled softly at Dean, Sam and Charlie. “Thank you all for everything.”

“Thank _you_ , Cas,” Charlie said, giving him a tender look. She walked towards him and gave him an unexpected hug. Castiel looked at Sam and Dean, who chuckled, and then he returned the hug, smiling. She pulled away and kept smiling at him. “We should better leave. Tomorrow, we’re gonna make history!”

Sam chuckled and gave Castiel a tender squeeze on his shoulder, a friendly gesture. Dean pecked his lips and grinned at him before leaving the room with his brother and Charlie. Castiel was left alone in the room and closed his eyes, taking a long and deep breath, the word almost echoing in his head.

Tomorrow, things would finally change for the better.

“Two days as the King and you can’t stop going to the parliament,” Meg said with a sassy and unimpressed voice, but Castiel could hear a hint of wonder in her poisonous voice. “So responsible.”

“I’m surprised you know what being responsible is,” Castiel said as he waited for the carriage to be ready. He didn’t know why Meg had insisted on walking him to the main door of the palace and wait with him; she wasn’t going to go to the parliament.

She smiled, wickedly. “You are kind of attractive when you get mad.”

Castiel made a disgusted face and rolled his eyes. He looked at the cloudy sky as he waited. It was going to rain in a couple of hours. Maybe sooner; he wasn’t sure. The smell of rain was becoming stronger.

“Have fun in the parliament,” Meg said as she turned around and walked away.

Castiel found her behavior strange. She had always been a bit eccentric, but he couldn’t help suspecting about her behavior, after all, she and Lucifer were planning his murder, so everything out of the ordinary with Meg triggered something paranoid in Castiel.

Hopefully, by the end of the day, he would be able to break the contract that forced him to marry Meg in two months.

The carriage appeared and Castiel got inside it. He sat in front of his two guards, who greeted him with a tiny smile. Castiel had observed how every person that worked in the palace seemed more relaxed around Castiel. When Chuck was alive, every servant and every guard always looked stressed and restless, waiting for the explosion of Chuck’s rage; his uncle used to suffer some disturbing change of moods. Sometimes he got mad over the stupidest things and blamed everyone except himself. He was rude to everyone. Castiel was the opposite. He treated everyone with respect and didn’t get mad at anyone. Sometimes mistakes were made, but that was no reason to treat people like shit. Everyone in palace appreciated that Castiel treated them as human beings.

As the carriage rolled down, Castiel looked through the windows. They were covered with curtains to avoid outsiders to see he was inside the carriage, but he could see the landscape. As he watched the blurry image of the landscape they were passing by, Castiel’s heart beat a thousand miles per hour. His limbs were tingling with anticipation and his hands were getting sweaty. He had been waiting so long for this day and he couldn’t believe he was so close to change those unfair laws and be able to be with the man he loved.

But something was nagging him in the back of his head. He had a strange feeling about the day. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Maybe his nerves were trying to betray him; he didn’t know. He still had to be cautious. By the end of the day, he and Dean would have no problem on being together, but Castiel still had to look out for Meg and Lucifer’s conspiracies; they still didn’t have any solid proof that showed what they were up to, which meant that Dean and him would still have to wait a little bit more.

But Castiel knew all about waiting.

After getting everything ready in the parliament, the session started. Castiel sat in the seat reserved for the King, next to the spokesperson, who mediated the parliament, talked about the voting they were about to happen, counted votes and officially decreed what was agreed. But when the King proposed a change or wanted to create a new law, the King was the one who had to speak out, even if the whole parliament knew what was going on.

Castiel stood up and looked around before he began to explain what changes he was proposing. The chamber fell silent as he spoke, his voice echoing in the walls. Castiel was nervous, but his voice didn’t show it. He had seen Dean, Sam and Charlie in the higher balconies of the chamber, reserved to journalists and some people who had reserved them. His lover and his friends watched him with happiness and pride.

When Castiel finished explaining the changes he was proposing, he sat down, and the spokesperson began the voting. Castiel could hear the loud hammering of his restless heart against his chest. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the moment he had been fighting for.

First they had to vote in favor of Castiel’s changes. All Zachariah’s party voted in favor. Castiel saw the rage and hate in some of those members’ faces. He looked at them, challenging; he knew he had the leverage and he could ruin all of them if he wanted to.  
All the members of the rebel’s party voted in favor too. And more than half of the members of the opposite party to Zachariah’s voted in favor, the rest of their members refrained for voting. Castiel couldn’t believe that his proposal got accepted by an eighty five percent.

The spokesperson approved the changes. It was officially; homosexual relationships and interracial relationships were no longer considered a crime. Women and people of color were now granted the same rights as any white man. Castiel couldn’t believe it. He felt how the heavy burden upon his shoulders started to weight a little bit less, and somehow, he also felt able to properly breathe, as if he had a constricting and invisible force against his chest he hadn’t been aware of until now.

There were cheers and clapping in the parliament. Almost everyone was glad about those changes. Zachariah and his party weren’t happy at all, but Castiel didn’t care. He had done the right thing. This needed to be done. He looked at Dean; he couldn’t see his face properly, but his eyes were shining brightly and it almost seemed as if he was crying. Castiel wanted to cry of happiness too, but he had to keep his straight face, although he allowed himself to smile pleased at their achievement.

Slowly, everyone in the chamber began to leave. Zachariah and his party were the first ones, without lingering in the hall like the rest of the members, who were congratulating each other for making a difference. Castiel remained in the hall, and he was congratulated and cheered by a lot of people, more than he expected. It seemed that a lot of people had been willing to propose those things, but they all had feared the power of Zachariah’s party.

When Castiel had been congratulated by every member of the parliament, he spotted Dean, Sam and Charlie at the big entrance. He walked towards them, closely followed by his guards. They weren’t alone; most of the members of the parliament were still around, so the four of them knew that they would have to pretend they weren’t as close as they really were.

“We are really proud of you, Your Majesty,” Dean greeted. Castiel could see he was fighting against every fiber of his body to touch him, kiss him and smile him; Castiel felt the same. “You really improved people’s lives.”

“Thank you, Mister Winchester,” Castiel said, nodding. “But I can’t take all the credit.” He looked at the three of them, hoping that his eyes would say the words he couldn’t say in that moment. By the way they were looking at him, Castiel knew they had understood his silent words.

Sam nodded. “We are really happy, Your Majesty. Thank you for everything.”

“Your Majesty doesn’t have any idea how much you have improved people’s lives,” Charlie added, making a tiny smile that Castiel returned before he nodded. “Well, I guess we should leave.”

“It’s raining heavily,” Castiel began to say. It had been raining for almost an hour, and while they were in the chamber, the rain had only become heavier, splattering against the windows with fury. “Do any of you wish me to take you home?”

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty, we brought umbrellas,” Sam answered as he and Charlie showed him their umbrellas. Dean, on the other hand, hadn’t brought one. “You didn’t bring one?” Sam asked to his brother, arching his eyebrow.

Dean shrugged. “I forgot.”

“In that case,” Castiel said. “I insist you on coming with me, Mister Winchester. Your house is far and I don’t think it’s advisable to wander around this terrible rain.”

“Your Majesty is really kind, but I can wait until it clears out.”

Castiel gave Dean a sassy look. “I’m afraid it isn’t going to stop any time soon, Mister Winchester. Please, I insist.” He wasn’t sure if Dean was refusing because he was supposed to do it or because he didn’t want to disturb Castiel.

“Alright, thank you, Your Majesty.” He bowed his head, and gave Castiel a quick smirk, making the blue eyed man blush for a while.

Castiel turned his face and looked at Sam and Charlie, bowing his head. “Mister Winchester, Miss Bradbury, have a good day.”

“Have a good day, Your Majesty,” Sam and Charlie said at the same time, bowing their heads.

Dean and Castiel watched them leave, their umbrellas sheltering from the rain, mixing with the rest of people that were holding umbrellas. They were in the front street when Castiel’s carriage appeared, so he and Dean almost ran towards it, getting a bit wet with the rain, but not too much. Castiel’s guards followed them, drenching a little as well. Before they closed the door, Castiel informed the driver that they would be stopping at Dean’s house before heading to palace.

“I really appreciate the gesture, Your Majesty,” Dean said, sounding really polite. Castiel trusted his guards, but he didn’t want them to see that he and Dean were lovers. Meg could get information from them, and that wasn’t advisable.

“No problem, Mister Winchester,” Castiel said. He was aching to lace his fingers with Dean’s, to kiss him to celebrate that they didn’t have to fear for their lives anymore, but both were aware of the fact that they had to keep pretending for a little bit more. “I might come tomorrow to see you, Mister Winchester,” he added, after a tiny silence.

Dean looked at him, with a frown. “Tomorrow?”

Castiel hummed. “I would like to order a painting.”

Dean smiled, aware that Castiel was not going to order him a painting. “Okay, Your Majesty. Tomorrow I don’t expect any client to come, so feel free to come at any time you wish.”

“Thank you, Mister Winchester.”

They didn’t say anything more during the ride. They both wanted to say too many things, but they weren’t alone, so they couldn’t. They would have to wait until tomorrow. They both could wait a little bit more.

The carriage stopped and Dean opened the door, the sound of the heavy rain getting louder. “Have a good day, Your Majesty,” he said, softly.

Castiel made a tiny smile only Dean could see. “Have a good day, Mister Winchester.”

Dean nodded and closed the carriage door, running towards his home as the carriage rolled away. Castiel sighed silently, calmed.

Charlie put her umbrella away as she entered her home. When she closed the door behind her, she let out a content sigh, shedding tears of joy as she let the event of the day sink into her. She had been fighting for so long to achieve this. The waiting had been so long that she couldn’t truly believe that what happened was real.

She wiped her tears and smiled. It was real. It was so damn real.

“Charlie?” Dorothy asked, coming from the kitchen.

Charlie looked at her, surprised. “Dorothy,” she said, looking perplexed at her soon to be wife. Then, Kevin joined her side. “Kevin. When did you guys come back?”

“Half an hour,” Kevin answered.

“Dorothy, Kevin,” Charlie began to said, emotion and happiness filled her voice. “The laws were approved!” She let out a happy sound, not knowing what exactly was, but she couldn’t help letting out the joy she felt. “Homosexual and interracial relationships aren’t a crime anymore. And women and people of color can now have the same rights as any white man! We made it! We finally made it!” She threw herself at Dorothy, hugging her before kissing her.

“Those are really good news,” Dorothy said with a touched face, delighted about the news, but something was troubling her and Kevin. “But we have a problem.”

Charlie knew that if Dorothy and Kevin were there, it meant they had found proof about Lucifer and Meg’s plan to murder Castiel. “What is it?”

Kevin picked a letter from his pocket and handed it to Charlie. “Castiel is not the only one in danger,” he said.

Charlie quickly opened the already open envelope and began to read the letter.

 

_Dear Lucifer,_

_My spy has found out that Castiel Novak is having an affair with Dean Winchester, which means the painter is a threat to us. I’m going to order my spy to kill Dean Winchester as soon as possible. Hopefully that will upset and hurt Castiel enough so we can proceed on our plan of killing him. I know you will approve this, because you have told me that anyone who interposes into our way of becoming King and Queen of Arpret is worth getting murdered._

_Yours truly,_

_Meg Masters._

 

Charlie’s hands shook as she finished reading the letter.

“We must get to Castiel and inform him of this, and quickly!” Charlie said, fear taking over her.

“I will go and get a carriage,” Kevin said, nodding, storming out of the house.

Charlie was breathing hard. “When did that letter arrive?”

“Yesterday,” Dorothy answered. “We left as soon as we could.” She got her hand on Charlie’s back and began to rub it soothingly. “Maybe she hasn’t ordered her spy to do it yet.”

Charlie felt tears forming in her eyes. “I hope we aren’t late.”

Dean felt relaxed and happy. He was aware that he and Castiel would have to wait a little bit more to be fully together, because if Meg found out about them, she would proceed to kill Castiel immediately. But Dean felt relaxed because he and Cas would finally be together, without having to constantly hide it, without having to sneak out to see each other, and that brought peace to Dean. After all those years, he and Cas were able to love each other freely.

He was in the kitchen, trying to decide what he was going to have for dinner. It was still raining heavily, and he could hear the sound of raindrops hitting against the house. He liked that sound. And he loved the smell of rain. If he could, he would stand under the rain for hours, but he didn’t want to get sick.

Suddenly, he heard a strange sound coming from the garden. Dean frowned and looked through the window. Maybe some rabbit was wandering around; it had happened a few times. But he heard the sound again, this time closer, and Dean could swear it sounded almost human. He walked closer to the door and looked through the window again, something in his gut telling him that something wasn’t right.

The sound came again, closer and louder, and Dean opened the door and got out to the porch, finding nothing. He knew he had heard those sounds, but it seemed he was alone. The skin of his nape felt a chilly sensation, making it appear goosebumps. Something was definitely not right and Dean had all his senses in alert, waiting for that something.

He turned around and found a man, and before he could get stabbed, Dean began to fight. He didn’t know who that man was, or why he was there, but he was holding a long knife and Dean knew that man wanted to stab him.

They struggled for a while, but the man was skillful and agile, even a bit stronger than Dean. He held the knife tightly and finally managed to stab Dean on his abdomen, Dean hissing in pain at the deep cut. He touched his wound, covering his palm in blood, which was quickly drenching his clothes. The man was going to stab him again, in the chest, but Dean managed to get the knife and stab the man in the inner of his right thigh. Dean knew that was a lethal place and if the man didn’t stop the bleeding he would die.

The mysterious man glared Dean and punched his face, almost drifting him to unconsciousness. He grabbed the knife, but Dean kicked him, weakening him. The man looked at Dean, who tried to get up, but he couldn’t; he was dizzy and he was bleeding too much. The nameless man was not better. He looked at Dean and then at his own wound, considering what to do. He left, almost running, and Dean sighed.

He looked at his wound, noticing all the blood he was losing, dying the floor of the porch, falling onto the stairs and reaching the ground, mixing with the water of the rain. His sight began to blurry. He tried to stand up again, but he couldn’t, his legs felt like jelly and his body was too heavy. The pain in his abdomen began to be almost unbearable. He covered his wound with his hand, but the bleeding didn’t stop.

The rain kept falling onto him and his vision began to black out.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, for the kudos, the comments, the bookmarks and the subscriptions :)
> 
> There's not much left of the story, just this chapter and the epilogue, which I'll try to post by the end of April.

Fifteen minutes after Castiel arrived to palace, one of the servants told him that two ladies and one man were trying to get inside to see him.

“Two ladies and one man?” Meg asked, as perplexed at Castiel. They were in the living room. Meg was having tea and biscuits when Castiel arrived. He was also having tea and biscuits, because he was hungry. Meg had been trying to know what Castiel had been doing in the parliament, but Castiel hadn’t revealed anything yet.

“What are their names?” Castiel asked, concerned. People who came to palace always notified their visit with a letter, so it was unusual to have visitors who were unexpected.

“Charlie Bradbury, Dorothy Baum and Kevin Tran,” the servant answered with a frown.

Castiel’s heart skipped a beat. If those three people were there, it meant that they had found proof about Lucifer and Meg’s plan to murder him. “Let them in,” Castiel said, standing up.

“Are you kidding, Castiel?” Meg asked, half disgusted, half shocked. “Are you letting the rebel and feminist Charlie Bradbury and whoever the other two are in here?”

“Yes.” He followed the servant and left Meg behind, although he knew she was going to follow him, feeling curious about why Castiel was letting in someone he was supposed to hate.  
Castiel and the servant reached the door and the main gate opened to let a carriage in that stopped in front of the door. Charlie was the first one to come out of it, followed by a brunette woman that Castiel knew it had to be Dorothy, Charlie’s lover, and an Asian young boy who had to be Kevin Tran. He was glad to finally meet Dorothy and Kevin, but as they approached him, Castiel could see in their faces that something bad had happened.

“What is it?” Castiel asked to Charlie, fearing the worst.

Charlie handed him an envelope. Her hand shook, and that was not a good sign. Castiel opened the envelope and began to read Meg’s letter to Lucifer, an icy feeling running down his body as he read all the words. Meg and Lucifer knew about Dean and he and she planned on killing Dean.

“When did this letter arrive?” Castiel asked, his voice clearly affected by the letter.

Dorothy and Kevin answered in unison, “Yesterday.”

“MEG!” Castiel yelled, furious and enraged. He noticed the way the servants flinched at his voice. Castiel had never sounded as angry and terrifying as he was in that moment. He walked through the hall, followed by Charlie, Dorothy, Kevin and some of his guards that Castiel had ordered to follow them with his hand. “MEG!” Castiel screamed again. They found Meg in the living room, sitting where he had left her. She looked at them, frowning, but when she spotted Dorothy and Kevin, her face went pale, recognizing them from having worked at Lucifer’s house.

“What?” Meg asked. Her voice sounded calm, but she was still uneasy by Dorothy’s and Kevin’s presence.

Castiel walked towards her and showed her the letter and her face went paler. “You are arrested for attempting my murder and Dean’s,” he muttered.

“I’m arrested?” She laughed, poison filling that sound. “You should be arrested, Castiel. You are the one who is fucking a man. That’s against the law, isn’t it?” She made a wicked smile. Even though she knew that she was going to get arrested from plotting a murder against the King, she was glad that Castiel was going down with her.

But she couldn’t be more wrong. Castiel smirked. “Not anymore, Meg,” Castiel said, enjoying how her triumphant face slowly disappeared to make room for a confused one. “The parliament has approved that homosexual relationships are no longer a crime, and that those who had a homosexual relationship before this law was approved, are forgiven and don’t have to be imprisoned or executed.”

“No,” she said, in denial. “That can’t be possible.”

“Guards, arrest her.” He looked at his guards and they arrested Meg, who was uselessly fighting against them. “Also,” Castiel added to another guard, showing him the letter. “Send an order to arrest Lucifer, too.”

The guard nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Suddenly, Meg laughed, darkly and hysterically. Its sound got under Castiel’s skin, and he could tell that it had the same effect in every person in that room. “Poor Castiel, do you think you have won?” She licked her teeth and shot Castiel a cocky smile. “That everything is going to be okay?” She laughed again, and Castiel hated that sound. “I could just wait so it could hurt more, but given that I’m not going to be able to see your face in a long time, I’m just going to spoil the surprise so I can see the hurt in your face.”

Castiel’s heart stopped beating. He feared the worst.

“What are you talking about?” Charlie asked, angrily and scared.

“Just after Castiel went to the parliament, I talked to my spy and ordered to kill Dean Winchester as soon as he saw him,” Meg answered, smiling delighted. She looked directly at Castiel, who felt as if some invisible sword had stabbed him right in the heart. “He must have been dead for a long time now.”

“Dean,” Castiel said. This couldn’t be happening. After everything, this couldn’t be happening. “Take her to prison,” Castiel muttered, dedicating Meg his deadliest glare, something that Meg seemed to enjoy. She kept laughing as the guards dragged her out of the room. “Go and find Lucifer,” he commanded to the guard he had talked before, then he turned to Charlie, Dorothy and Kevin. “I need you to bring here Jessica, she’s the best doctor in the city. I’m going to go to Dean’s house.”

“Do you think he is still alive?” Kevin asked with a trembling voice.

Castiel felt tears falling from his eyes. “I have to find him.”

“Go,” Dorothy said. “We will take care of this.”

“Thank you.”

“How are you going to get him? His house is quite far,” Charlie said, as desperate as Castiel felt.

“With my fastest horse.” He turned around and ran towards the stables. 

He ran faster than in his whole life. He got on top of Emmanuel and rode him, faster than ever, encouraging the horse to go faster. It was still raining, and the raindrops hit his face hardly, hurting, drenching his clothes, making them heavy, but Castiel didn’t care. He needed to reach Dean’s home and find him. Hopefully it wasn’t too late. He had left Dean less than twenty minutes ago, maybe he was still alive.

Castiel closed his eyes and let out a painful sigh. This couldn’t be how their story ended. He lost Dean once; he couldn’t lose him again. Not after everything they had fought for.

His horse stopped when they reached Dean’s house. Castiel’s heart clenched when he saw Dean sitting on the stairs of the porch, unconscious, bleeding from his abdomen, his blood running down the stairs, ending in a puddle.

“DEAN!” Castiel screamed in pain as he got down from the horse, running towards Dean, splashing water everywhere every time his feet touched the ground. “DEAN!” He kneeled in front of him and cupped his cold face, tilting it so they were face to face. “DEAN! DEAN! DEAN!” His grip on Dean’s face became tighter as he cried his name. The rain kept falling onto them, drenching them, soaking their clothes and their bodies. “DEAN!”

Suddenly, Dean opened his eyes slightly. “Cas?” Dean asked with a breathy voice.

“Dean,” Castiel said, his name sounding almost like a prayer, making Dean’s name sound as something holly. He kissed his lips briefly and let out a sob. He caressed his cheeks, feeling its coldness and wetness. “Dean. We need to get you to the palace.”

“Cas, I—” Talking seemed like a huge effort for him. “I don’t think—”

“NO!” Castiel yelled as he got Dean’s arm around his shoulder and rested his hand on Dean’s hip, gripping him tightly and lifting him. “I’m not going to give you up.” Castiel began to walk them towards Emmanuel. Dean couldn’t move his legs and he was a heavy load, but Castiel was not going to give up. He had had heavier loads on his shoulders; they had been invisible, but he was used to carry them. He could carry Dean. “I’m not going to lose you. Not after everything.”

“You’ve always— you’ve always been stubborn.” He managed to smile and he leaned his head onto Castiel’s shoulders.

Castiel chuckled, bitterly. They had reached Emmanuel and he began to get Dean onto the horse. “Not as stubborn as you are,” he said, melancholy and hurt filling his voice. He got onto the horse and pressed his chest against Dean’s back, getting his arms around him and holding him tightly before Emmanuel rode back to the palace, riding even faster than before. “Hold on, Dean, just hold on.”

But Dean didn’t respond. He was unconscious. He checked for his pulse with his trembling hand and felt a weak and almost unnoticeable pulse on his freckled neck. Castiel gripped Dean tightly, feeling how Dean’s body was dangerously cold. The rain was cold and hard against them, wanting to spread its coldness into their bones, but Castiel wasn’t going to let that happen. He spurred his horse, wanting it to go faster, and the horse complied. Castiel pressed Dean closer to him, feeling Dean’s blood on his palm.

“Hold on, Dean. Hold on. We’re almost there. Don’t make me lose you, please.”

They reached the palace and Castiel got Dean off the horse with the help of some servants and they all carried Dean towards a bedroom Chuck had ordered to modify so doctors could come in and do any kind of surgery in case he needed one. Charlie, Dorothy and Kevin were there, and next to them were Sam, Jess and a woman Castiel didn’t know who was dressed as a nurse.

“Is he alive?” Sam asked, his voice trembling. He watched how his brother was put on the bed, and Castiel could see the younger Winchester wincing in horror as he saw the wound.

“Yes,” Castiel mumbled, dropping Dean onto the bed.

“I need everyone except Pamela to get out of here,” Jess said to everyone. “This is going to take us a while.”

All of them did as they were told and left the bedroom. Pamela closed the door and Castiel stood there for a moment, looking at the door until his legs gave up and knelt onto the floor, crying. “It’s my fault, it’s my fault, it’s my fault,” Castiel mumbled in between sobs.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to his side, looking at Sam. “It’s not your fault, Cas.”

“It is,” he insisted. Sam was crying, too, but he wasn’t sobbing. “I should have been more cautious. I should have suspected Meg would hire someone to spy me. I should—”

“Cas,” Sam interrupted with a soft voice. His grip on Castiel’s shoulder became tighter, but it still was comforting. “We didn’t know. It’s not your fault. Stop blaming yourself.”

“Besides,” Charlie said, kneeling next to Castiel. “You had too much to worry about. You had too many things going on, too many things to take care of. There’s no way you could have noticed you were being spied.”

“Still—” Castiel took a deep breath and looked down, feeling really tired. He was feeling really cold from the rain. “I should have been more cautious. Dean wouldn’t be in this situation if I had—”

“Stop that, Cas,” Sam interrupted. “This is Meg’s fault, not yours.” When Castiel looked at Sam, he saw determination in his eyes. He didn’t blame Castiel for the events, and Castiel felt touched by it. “You should change your clothes. You don’t wanna get sick.”

Castiel sighed and nodded. “You are right.” He slowly stood up, helped by Sam and Charlie. “I’ll be back in a while,” he murmured. Everyone nodded and Castiel walked away.

He took a quick bath, warming his cold skin, dying the water with Dean’s dried blood on his skin. There was too much blood on him. Dean had lost too much of blood. He splashed his face with water, as if everything that happened was just a nightmare he could wake up with that silly action. But everything was so real.

He dried himself and dressed up. He was warm and dry, but he felt physically drained.

Castiel went back to where the others were, sitting in the small room around the chimney. Charlie and Dorothy were sitting together, holding each other. Sam was sitting on a chair, looking at his hands. And Kevin was looking out through the window.

“Better?” Charlie asked when he spotted Castiel.

“Not really,” Castiel answered, sitting on a chair next to Sam. “Are they still—?”

“Yes.”

Castiel took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair, raveling it. His eyes were sore and it didn’t take them too long to shed some tears that he wiped immediately. “I can’t believe this happened.”

“No one does,” Sam mumbled. He took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“If only we could’ve found the evidence before,” Kevin said, turning around to look at them.

“You did the best you could,” Castiel said, grateful. “I’m grateful to you and Dorothy for your hard work. You both took a huge risk by getting into Lucifer’s house as servants and spying him, and you left as soon as possible so we could do something before it was too late. I’m really grateful for everything you did. ”

Dorothy smiled, softly but honestly. “We are grateful for the changes you did today.”

“You should also thank Dean, Sam and Charlie.” He returned the smile. Suddenly, they heard some noises coming from the room where Dean, Jess and Pamela were, and they all turned their face to the closed door. The noises faded away and Castiel inhaled sharply. “Dean—”

“He will make it out,” Sam assured, placing his big hand on Castiel’s back. “Jess is the best doctor and surgeon in town, even if she hasn’t been allowed to prove her skills because of her sex” He took a deep breath. “Besides, this is not the first time Dean’s been stabbed.”

Castiel looked at him, confused. “Has he been stabbed before?”

Sam nodded, pain filling his eyes. “Dad once came home really drunk and he was about to stab me, but Dean got into his way. They fought, but dad managed to stab him before Bobby came and stopped dad. Dean had to go to the hospital and he was almost as bad as today, but he made it out.”

“Holy shit,” Castiel mumbled. He didn’t know about that. He knew that John Winchester used to beat Dean, but he didn’t know about that accident. “Back when we were kids, he sometimes came to the forest with wounds and bruises. I knew there were more I couldn’t see, that he hid them from me in order to not make me worry, but I always knew when he got beaten. I didn’t know that he had been stabbed once.”

“That happened the year after your father forced you to leave.”

“He also has scars from fights with Alistair,” Dorothy added.

“And from guys who were beating kids or women. Dean always has to do something,” Kevin added. “He’s been to the hospital more times than anyone in here.”

“And he has always made it out,” Charlie said. She placed her hand on Castiel’s knee and gave it a soft squeeze. “He will make it this time, too.”

Castiel nodded. He wanted to hope, but he knew Dean had lost too much blood, and the odds weren’t in their favor, but he needed to have faith. If they were able to meet again after all those long years, Dean could be able to keep living. He took a deep breath and held the collar Dean gave him when they were kids.

They didn’t say anything else. The room fell quiet. The only sounds came from the rain and the crackling fire of the chimney. Night was slowly eating out the day, dying the sky in dark colors. Castiel had lost the track of time. By the time Jess opened the door, followed by Pamela, it felt like decades had passed, but it had been less than two hours.

“How is he?” Sam asked, standing up.

Castiel stood up too, observing that parts of Jess’ clothes were covered in blood. His heart clenched, fearing for the worst, but Jessica smiled softly and said, “He’s alive.”

Everybody in the room let out a relieved breath they had been holding for hours. Castiel felt more tears sliding down his face, reaching his chin, leaving a cold trail. Dean was alive. “Is he awake?” Castiel asked.

Jessica shook her head. “No. It will take him a couple of days to wake up. He lost a lot of blood, but we sew his wound and stopped the hemorrhage. He only needs to rest. I think that in less than a week he will wake up. He is quite weak, but it’s understandable, given that the wound was very deep, but he is good, all things considered.”

Castiel threw to her and hugged her. “Thank you so much.”

“Yeah, thanks, Jess,” Sam said. “Can we see him?”

“Of course.”

Everyone went inside the room. Dean was extremely pale, making his freckles stand out even more than usually. It also made the circles around his eyes more noticeable, giving them a purplish color. Even his lips were extremely pale. It looked as if someone had taken all the colors of his body. But he slowly breathed, his chest going up and down with every almost unnoticeable breath he took. Castiel exhaled sharply and caressed Dean’s light brown hair.

“Told you,” Charlie said elbowing Castiel. She was crying. “He was gonna make it.”

“He is a fighter,” Castiel agreed, smiling relieved.

Sam chuckled, proudly. “Always has. Always will.”

“We should get him in a bed,” Jess explained. “Cas, which room?”

All of them got Dean into Castiel’s bed, slowly and carefully. Dean was alive, but they had to be very careful with his freshly sewed wound. Jessica told Castiel that she would come to the palace after her work at the hospital to check on Dean. She also explained Castiel and some of the servants how to take care of him and give him water, because he couldn’t dehydrate. Castiel paid close attention to everything he said.

“I guess that’s all,” Jessica said when she finished.

“Thank you so much for everything,” Castiel said. Then, he looked at the rest of his friends. “Thanks to all of you for everything.” All of them nodded, and smiled. “If you want to stay here tonight, you can, there’s plenty of space for all of you.”

“Thanks Cas, but I think we all wanna go home,” Sam said, quite tired, but smiling in that charming way of his. “Besides, Dean’s gonna be sleeping for a while, so for now, we’ll just have to wait until he wakes up. Nothing bad is gonna happen to him, so we can go home and sleep.”

Castiel smiled. “I understand.”

“But I can come tomorrow to see him, right?”

“Of course, Sam. You are more than welcome to come here.”

“I can come, too, right?” Kevin asked, shyly.

“Of course, Kevin. You are all welcome to come here.”

“Great.”

“I guess it’s time to leave,” Dorothy said, holding Charlie’s hand. “Charlie and I will come here, too. So see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow,” Castiel said.

“And sleep,” Charlie added. “You really need it.”

Castiel couldn’t help chuckling. “I will try.”

They all said goodbye and all of them went into their respective carriages while Castiel watched them from the door. He turned around when he saw the gates closing and he went directly to his room, where Dean was sleeping.

He grabbed a chair and sat down next to the bed. He caressed Dean’s hair again, noticing that Dean’s body temperature had increased slightly, not feeling as icy as before. He knew it was going to take time for Dean to wake up and be fully recovered, but for now, Dean was alive.

Castiel leaned and kissed Dean’s forehead. “Goodnight, beloved.”

Days went by slowly. Sam and Jessica came over every day to visit and check on Dean. Kevin, Charlie and Dorothy came almost every day. Dean was getting better, but slowly. His wound was getting better, but he was still asleep and needed to get more rest. So Castiel waited.

The news of the arrest of Meg and Lucifer quickly spread through the country, and it was soon revealed that Dean was Castiel’s lover. Most of the people didn’t find it unusual, given that they suspected something like that when Castiel proposed the change of laws regarding homosexual and interracial relationships, and they all suspected Castiel had a lover that was either a man or non-white. Or both. Some people took the news as something good. Others didn’t care. Others hated it. Castiel knew there were going to be all kind of reactions, so they didn’t bother him too much.

During those days when Dean was still asleep, Castiel never left the palace. He took care of most of his duties, but he didn’t leave the palace. Surprisingly, people seemed to understand that he wanted to be with his loved one, something that Castiel was grateful for. 

The only visits he got were from his friends, that is why he was surprised when one of the servants came to his bedroom, announcing that he had an unexpected visitor.

Castiel frowned and put the book aside. He tended to read Dean’s favorite books and poems out loud, hoping that Dean might hear them. “Who is it?” Castiel asked, confused.

“He says his name is Gabriel Novak,” the servant said.

Castiel looked at him in shook. “That can’t be possible.” He never knew what truly happened to his brother. Part of him thought that he had died, but the other part of him wanted to believe that his brother was somewhere out there, alive; still, it couldn’t be possible that his brother was waiting outside. Not after all that time.

“I told him the same thing, Your Majesty, but he told me that I should tell you something so you could believe that he is indeed, Gabriel.”

“What is that something, Mister Fitzgerald?”

“He says that he is the one you asked him to grab writing material when your Father found you and Mister Winchester kissing in the woods of Esomal, and he was the one who got the letter in between your Father’s letters. And that you wrote the name of Emmanuel into it.”

Castiel gasped. Nobody except him, Dean and Gabriel knew that. He was shaking. His brother was alive and had arrived to the palace. After all those years. “Let him in,” Castiel managed to say.

The servant nodded and left Castiel and Dean in the room. Castiel was breathing hard. Could it be real? It had to be. He stood up from the chair and kissed Dean’s forehead, whispering him that he would come back later, and he left the room, walking downstairs to the main hall, his heart beating against his chest fast and restlessly.

He found a short man accompanied by a beautiful black woman. Castiel couldn’t move; his legs weren’t responding. That short man in front of him was without a doubt his brother Gabriel.

“Gabriel,” Castiel said, not fully believing what he was seeing.

“Hey, little bro,” Gabriel said. It had been years since he last had heard that voice, and Castiel was so happy to hear it again. “Missed me?”

Castiel ran towards his brother and hugged him. The woman chuckled while Gabriel grinned and hugged his brother tightly. “What happened? Where have you been all these years? How is it that you are here?”

“Relax, Cassie.” Hearing the nickname felt good, even though Castiel had never truly like it. “It’s a long story, we should sit down. But before that, let me present you my future wife.” He placed his arm around the small of the back of the woman, pulling her closer. “Kali. That after more than ten years with her, I now can marry her thanks to you.”

Castiel looked at her and offered his hand to shake it. Part of his brain was working what Gabriel had said. They had been together more than ten years. Was that the reason of his brother’s mysterious disappearance? “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kali.”

She shook his hand and gave him a smile. “The pleasure is mine, Castiel,” she said with a deep voice.

Castiel had never known what type of women Gabriel liked, but for some reason, Kali and Gabriel seemed to be perfect for each other, and that made Castiel really happy. “Would you like to eat or drink something while I ask you the millions of questions I have?”

“That would be amazing,” Gabriel answered with a smirk. “Something sweet, preferably.”

Castiel chuckled. “I see you still have a sweet tooth.”

Kali chuckled and gave Gabriel a mocking but sweet glare. “You don’t have any idea.”

Castiel brought them to the dining room after he told the servants to bring them some cake and tea. It didn’t take them too long to bring them to the table, but during those few minutes, Castiel watched his brother and his soon to be sister-in-law. His feelings about the situation were complicated. He was glad that his brother was alive and back, but at the same time he couldn’t help feeling hurt because his brother didn’t contact with him to let him know that he was still alive. He knew there was a good reason, but Castiel still felt a bit hurt.

“C’mon,” Gabriel said, giving him a sassy look. His brother had aged, but his sassy expressions remained the same. “Ask me. I can see you’re dying to do it.”

Castiel took a deep breath. “What happened? Father never explained. I didn’t know if you were alive or dead. Why didn’t you try to contact me once? All these years I had to live with the uncertainty of what truly happened to you. Why are you here now after twelve years?”

“What happened was me,” Kali answered, simply.

“What do you mean?”

Gabriel cleared his throat and moved on his seat, trying to find a more comfortable stance. “Do you remember that Father used to take me to the house of one of his friends so I could learn about all the crap about behaving like a Duke and high society and all of that?”

“Yes.” Castiel remembered. Their Father used to bring him to different places to get him used to the nobility. He did the same with Castiel once Gabriel disappeared.

“I met Kali in that house, she was a servant there, and it was love at first sight. At least for me. She fell in love with me a little bit later, because apparently, she thought I was just another son of a douchebag, which immediately made me a douchebag for her.” He looked at Kali with a gummy smile, and Kali rolled her eyes, trying to suppress a smile. “Anyway, we ended up meeting secretly. Nobody knew that me and Kali were a thing, but Father eventually found out.” He gave Castiel an obvious look, memories of the time when his father found about he and Dean coming to him.

There was a tiny silence in between them, understatement sinking into the two of them. “Well,” Gabriel pursued. “When he found out, he was furious, He threatened to kill Kali and he began to beat me. I managed to somehow knock him out, leaving him unconscious, so I got Kali and we ran away.” He grabbed Kali’s hand, painful memories coming to him as well. Castiel understood Gabriel’s fears. He had been in that situation, too, but he hadn’t been able to fight against his father. He had managed to save Dean, but they were forbidden to see each other again. “I couldn’t risk losing her. Father took you away from Dean, so I knew that he would try to do the same with me and Kali, and a bunch of more terrible things, so I didn’t think twice and we left everything behind.”

“We kept running away every time we thought we were in risk,” Kali kept explaining. “We were always moving, not staying in the same place for too long, just in case we were found.”

“That’s why I never tried to contact you, Cassie,” Gabriel murmured, hurt and regret filling his voice. “I hate the fact that I left you without any notice, but I knew that if I sent you something, Father would discover.”

“But why didn’t you tell me anything after Father’s death?” Castiel asked, confused.

“I got the news about Father’s and Michael’s death and knew that then, you’d become the Prince, given that everyone thought I was missing or dead. That meant that you were in palace, with Uncle Chuck, and if he heard about me and found out that I was with Kali, he would—”

“Have imprisoned you for being in an interracial relationship,” Castiel finished for him. Gabriel nodded. Castiel took a deep breath, letting the discovery sink into him. “That’s why you have waited all this time. You were waiting for me to become King.”

“Yes, but I would’ve waited a little bit longer, but given that you legalized interracial relationships, I could come sooner.” He smiled, honestly and grateful. “I’ve gotta congratulate you on all those changes you did. I couldn’t be prouder of you.”

Castiel chuckled. “Thank you. But I can’t take all the credit. I had some help.”

“I’ve heard about your lover in the newspapers,” Gabriel stated with a smirk. “Is the same Dean you met all those years ago?”

Castiel smiled. “Yes, he is.” He took a deep breath and looked down, feeling hurt as he remembered the state Dean was. “He almost died.”

“What happened?”

Castiel told him the whole story. How Dean and him met again, how they went back together in secret, how they planned with their friends to change the laws once Castiel became King, how Meg and Lucifer planned murdering him and how Meg discovered his relationship with Dean and ordered to kill him. Gabriel and Kali listened to him closely, paying attention to every word he said, asking a couple of questions when something wasn’t clear.

They kept asking each other a few more questions, catching up with each other’s lives. Soon, the evening came, so they had dinner together. When they finished, Kali asked if she could take a bath, and Castiel told him that she didn’t have to ask. The two of them were welcome to stay there.

While Kali took a bath, Castiel took Gabriel to the bedroom Dean was.

“So this is the famous Dean Winchester,” Gabriel said with an impressed pout. “I pictured him differently.”

Castiel chuckled. He got his hand on Dean’s hair and caressed it. Dean was sleeping peacefully. His skin was still paler than usually, but he didn’t look as terrible as a few days ago. “I never described him to you.”

Gabriel made one of his characteristic half smiles. “You really love him, don’t you?”

The blue eyed man lifted his eyes to look at his brother. “Is it that obvious?”

The short man snorted. “So much, in fact.”

Castiel couldn’t help smiling at that. He pressed a kiss on Dean’s forehead and sat down on the chair he had next to Dean’s side. He looked at Dean, wondering when he would wake up. He sighed and then looked at his brother, standing on the other side of the bed. “What are you going to do now?” he asked. “Are you going to stay here or are you going to leave?”

Gabriel arched a brow. “I just arrived after twelve years and you’re gonna kick me out already?”

Castiel rolled his eyes and then glared his older brother. “I’m not kicking you out. I’m just curious about your plans.” He got his hand on top of Dean’s and laced their fingers. He missed Dean’s usual warmth. “You must have thought about what your presence carries.” He gave his brother an obvious look, silently stating what they both knew. Gabriel nodded. “I would completely understand if you wanted to remain gone or abdicate.”

“You wanna remain King?” Gabriel asked with a curious and partially shocked expression.

“I don’t. But I would understand if you wanted to give up your right of being King.”

“That would be selfish of me.”

Castiel shrugged. “I’m used to the idea of not being able to do what I truly want.” He took a deep breath and looked at Dean. “But at least I can now be with the man I love. That’s what matters to me.” He smiled and gave Dean’s hand a soft squeeze. Then, he looked at Gabriel. “It’s your choice, Gabriel.”

Gabriel inhaled sharply. “Well, I don’t have any idea how to be the damn King.” He gave him a satiric look, but Castiel kept looking at him with a straight face. “But it’s my responsibility.” He got his hands in his pockets and shrugged. That was something he did when he felt both sorry and guilty. “I guess it’s time for me to stop running away and do what I should. I left you alone and you had to go through all that crap. My leaving only caused you to carry more burdens that you had to, and I have always hated myself for that.”

“You ran because you feared for Kali’s life and yours. You don’t have to apologize for that. I would have done the same if I had met Dean when I was older.”

“Yeah, but still—” He took a deep breath and turned around, looking through the window. “I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do.” He nodded to himself and looked at Castiel. “But I’m going to need your help for that, if you are okay with it. I would like to keep doing what you’ve done, improving people’s lives and giving people the rights that they deserve.”

Castiel smiled. “That sounds good.”

“Now, I only hope people will accept me as the King. They’re quite happy about you, so I don’t know if they’re gonna like the change.”

“They would be happy to know that you will follow my advice, I guess.” He looked down, trying to process the fact that his brother was actually going to take the crown. He was now the real heir, given that he was older than Castiel. Castiel would help him, obviously, but he would be able to be with Dean, without having to worry about his duties as a King. He knew he would have duties whenever Gabriel required his help, but the burden on Castiel’s shoulders would almost completely disappear. “Are you sure you truly want to be King?”

“I don’t want to be King, Cassie,” Gabriel began to answer. “Power corrupts. And I’m not sure if I’m gonna be a good King, but I owe you this.” He looked at him, honestly and earnestly, and Castiel made a tiny smile. “If I screw it up, you can always come and take my place.”

Castiel snorted. “Yes, I guess so.”

Suddenly, Sam and Jessica appeared in the room. Castiel had told the servants to let them come in without notice. They always came to palace at the same time to see Dean.

“Hello, Sam. Hello, Jessica,” Castiel greeted with a soft smile.

“Hey, Cas,” Sam and Jessica said at the same time. Then, they looked at Gabriel with a curious stare that Gabriel mirrored.

“Sam, Jessica,” Castiel began to say as he stood up from the chair. “I would like to present you my older brother, Gabriel.”

“Wait, what?” Sam asked, puzzled. He looked at Gabriel, with the same confusion Jessica was looking at him. “I thought you were dead.”

Gabriel chuckled. “Yeah, that’s what I let everybody believe.”

Gabriel then began to explain to Sam and Jess his story, dispelling their questions. Kali appeared while he was in the middle of telling the story and she got introduced to them. Gabriel kept telling their story, and while Sam and Jessica kept paying attention to him, Castiel was still thinking about how his life was going to completely change now that his brother was going to take the crown.

After Gabriel finished the story, he and Kali left the room to give Castiel, Sam and Jessica some privacy. Castiel had already ordered to get his brother and his soon to be sister-in-law a room so they could rest.

“This must have been very shocking for you,” Jessica said when the three of them were left alone with Dean, who was still asleep.

“Very much, indeed,” Castiel confessed. “He even says he is going to take the crown.”

Sam blinked, perplexed. “Really?”

Castiel nodded. “He says it is time to stop running away and start doing what he has to do. He says that he put me a weight I didn’t deserve and that he owes me. He also says that he counts with my advice to help him with everything, because he wants to keep helping people the way I did by changing those laws.” He took a deep breath and looked at his friends, trying to find in their faces how the news made them feel. “What do you think about this? Do you think this is the right thing to do?”

“What do mean?” Jessica asked, frowning.

Castiel worried his bottom lip. “I feel like I’m being selfish for wanting to give up the crown. I know I am going to help him as much as I can, but you all have put your faith in me, so I don’t know how you feel about my brother taking the crown.”

“We don’t know him, yet,” Sam began to explain. “But if he’s told you all those things, and wants to count on you so you two can keep doing what the people truly need, then I guess it’s a good thing.”

“Sam’s right,” Jessica agreed, nodding. “We just knew him, and he’s like you. He seems to want to help people, to use his power for good, and that’s all we want. We know that now that he is here, he has the right to be crowned, so nobody blames you for wanting to step aside from this, Cas.”

“In less than a week, you’ve achieved so many amazing changes, Cas. Now Jess is a doctor thanks to you! A lot of people can be with the people they love. And those who aren’t a white man, have the same rights as any white man. You have done a lot. And it hasn’t been easy for you. All the time you had to protect yourself, to protect all of us, and you’ve been putting with a weight that most of us couldn’t have bear at all if we were in your position.” Sam gave him a proud and soft smile, and it made Castiel felt appreciated. Sam was an amazing friend. “I’ve known you for a while,” he kept saying, still showing his pride for Castiel. “And I know how much you care. So I know you’re gonna help your brother as much as you can, so I can say that we’re in good hands.”

“You have our support. And you’ll have all the rebellion’s support.”

“Thank you so much to both of you,” Castiel said, emotion filling his voice. “I’m glad to have the two of you as friends.”

Sam smiled and placed his hand on Castiel’s shoulder, giving him a friendly squeeze. “The feeling is returned, man.” He pulled him into a tight hug and Castiel immediately returned the hug. When they pulled away, they smiled to each other. “Well, how’s Dean doing?”

“Same as always, I guess.”

“He has acquired more color,” Jess said, approaching Dean. She began to check on him, like she always did, after all, she was the one with the knowledge to state Dean’s state. “He is doing better.” She pulled the cover away and lifted Dean’s shirt, checking out his wound. “He has healed, but I won’t remove the sutures until he is awake.”

“Will he wake up soon?” Castiel knew that Dean was safe, that he was alive, but seeing him in that state was painful. He wanted Dean to wake up and keep living.

“He will,” Jessica answered with a smile. “I can’t tell you when, exactly, each person is a different case, but I can tell you that it will be really soon.”

The arrangements to proclaim Gabriel the King had begun, but they were taking their time. They all had agreed to not do too much until Dean woke up. But the word had spread, at least in the city. Charlie, Dorothy and Kevin went to palace the next day after Gabriel arrived to meet him and Kali, and Castiel explained his friends about Gabriel being the King. His friends showed the same support Sam and Jessica had showed him, and Castiel was really happy about that. His friends were incredible.

Castiel was willing to give the crown to Gabriel, but he wasn’t going to completely remove himself from politics. He wanted to keep changing things, fighting for what was necessary, but he was going to do it at the side of the throne and being part of the rebellion. And he was also going to try to write again. His life was going to remain the same in some aspects, but the most important change was the freedom he was acquiring and that the burden he had been carrying for so long was going to be shared with his brother Gabriel.

He was thinking about all of that while he sat on his bedroom, next to Dean. He was looking through the window. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining brightly and the birds were chirping. He had opened the window so the nice weather could get inside the room, hoping Dean would feel it.

“Cas?” Dean asked with a low and rough voice.

Castiel immediately turned his face from the window to look at Dean. His heart was beating loudly, not fully believing that Dean was finally awake. He smiled, relieved and happy. “Hello, Dean,” Castiel said, feeling how some tears formed in the corner of his eyes. He leaned and kissed Dean, softly. “You are awake.”

“Yeah.” Dean smiled, softly, and began to sit down on the bed, groaning a little. “How long have I been—?”

“Six days.”

Dean made a shocked expression. “Holy shit.” He ran his left hand through his hair and took a deep breath.

“Yes, holy shit,” Castiel said, smiling. He had Dean’s right hand laced with his, and he gave it a soft squeeze. He was so glad to see Dean awake after so long. “So many things have happened during these days.”

Dean arched both eyebrows, curiosity making its way into his face. He still was paler than usual, but he had more color than he had during that week. “Yeah? Wanna tell me about all of that?”

Castiel grinned and began to tell Dean about all the things that had happened since Charlie, Dorothy and Kevin came in, bringing with them the letter that incriminated Meg and Lucifer. Dean listened to him like he always did; with all his attention. He listened to the development of the events, many different emotions painting his beautiful face.

When Castiel finished explaining him everything, he watched how Dean processed the information. “So,” Dean began to say, a smile making its way to his lips. “You are not gonna be King anymore, but you’re gonna help Gabriel so things can keep improving for the people in the country?”

“Yes,” Castiel answered.

“So, does that mean that you don’t have to live here? That you can move in and live with me?”

Castiel grinned and then he gave him a sassy look. “It is nice to know that is all you have taken from what I have told you.”

“Well, you know me,” Dean said with a silly voice and grinning. “I’m just an assbutt in love.” He leaned and kissed Castiel, who was blushing. “Blush always looks good on you, Cas.”

“Shut up,” he protested, rolling his eyes, but he was still blushing and also chuckling.

Dean laughed. “I’m glad you’re finally able to be free.” He squeezed Castiel’s hand and caressed it with his thumb. “You deserve it so fucking much.”

“I can’t believe I’m finally getting what I most want to.” He sighed, contently and looked at their joined hands. “I know I am going to have some duties, but I’m going to have my life, finally.”

Dean got his free hand on Castiel’s nape and pulled him into a passionate kiss. “I’m so fucking happy for you, Cas.”

“I wouldn’t have been able to get this without you, Sam, Charlie, Jess, Dorothy and Kevin. I’m so grateful for all your help.” He kissed him again and then they rested their foreheads together. “We finally made it, Dean,” he murmured, looking into Dean’s beautiful green eyes. “We finally can be together without fearing for our lives and without having to worry about the differences on our social statuses.”

“It was about fucking time.”

Castiel laughed. “Yes, it was about fucking time.”

Both of them laughed.

“I guess we’ll see you soon,” Gabriel said as he hugged Castiel.

“He has to come back here to grab some more stuff,” Dean said, chuckling. “Although I don’t know where he’s gonna put all his stuff.”

Castiel pulled away from his brother and rolled his eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic, Dean.”

They had waited a few more days in palace so Dean could fully recover. During that time, Gabriel had been crowned and he was now the King of Arpret. Now, Castiel and Dean were leaving the palace to go back to Dean’s house, which was now their house. Dean was finally fully recovered, and he was dying to get back home and paint and be with Castiel.

“If you need anything,” Kali said. “You are free to come here, obviously.”

“Thank you,” Castiel and Dean said.

They said goodbye to each other. Castiel was going to have to come back there in a few days to talk about some things with his brother. They had agreed to meet at least one day per week to discuss things about the country. Also, Dean, Sam, Jessica, Charlie, Dorothy and Kevin would meet with them at least two times a month. Although if something urgent happened, or some change was needed, they could come in without invitation.

Dean and Castiel walked towards the carriage that was waiting for them and that would bring them to their home. Before Castiel closed the door, he looked at the palace one more time. It had never felt like home, but he still couldn’t believe that he was finally going to the place that really felt like home.

“You okay?” Dean asked when Castiel closed the carriage’s door. He rested his hand on Castiel’s thigh, giving it a soothing squeeze.

“Yes, I am,” Castiel answered with a smile. He kissed Dean, briefly but softly. “It’s just that I feel that this is all a dream. After so long, I can’t believe I am doing what I have dreamt since I met you.”

Dean smiled. Castiel could see some part of him felt like he did. “Yeah, I know. But this is real, Cas. I took almost twenty fucking years, but it’s finally happening.”

The carriage began to move and Castiel sighed, happily. He rested his chin on Dean’s shoulder and Dean kissed his temple. Castiel smiled and laced his fingers with Dean’s. “It’s finally happening,” he repeated. He squeezed Dean’s hand and said, “Let’s go home.”


	15. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is the last chapter, a short epilogue.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Dean said in between kisses.

Castiel groaned and buried his face in the crook of Dean’s neck, covering his eyes from the amount of sunlight that came through the window, and as he did so, he also tightened his grip on Dean, holding him closer, feeling the warmth of their naked chests.

Dean laughed; it was a marvelous sound. “You’re the worst morning person I’ve ever met.” His hold on Castiel became tighter and he pressed his lips on Castiel’s hairline. Castiel could feel his smile, and he loved it. “Don’t you have to go to palace to visit Gabriel and talk about stuff?” His fingers caressed Castiel’s skin, softly and delicately, with too much love. He could also feel on his naked skin the chilly temperature of the ring that showed that he and Dean were married, and he knew that Dean felt Castiel’s on his freckled back as well.

“I do,” Castiel mumbled with a pastry voice. Slowly, he pulled away from Dean’s neck and opened his eyes. The light was still annoying, but it was worth to open his eyes and find Dean looking at him with all that love in his eyes and with that beautiful smile. “But I don’t have to go until midday.” His right hand came to cup Dean’s jaw, feeling the stubble that was beginning to grow on his face. Dean would shave the next morning, Castiel knew it. His husband didn’t like letting his ginger stubble grow too much. Castiel liked Dean with or without stubble. “We can remain here for a little while.”

Dean chuckled and arched his eyebrow. “You know I have work to do, right?”

Castiel hummed before he pressed a brief kiss on Dean’s plush lips. “I know. And I do know that none of your customers has announced their arrival for today, which means that there’s no rush.” He kissed him again, getting his hand on Dean’s nape and pulling him onto him. Dean hummed happily into the kiss, cupping Castiel’s face. “I love being in bed with you.”

“Really?” he asked, sassily. “I’ve never noticed.”

“Assbutt.” He nuzzled his freckled neck and tightened his grip. “Let’s stay in bed just a few more minutes, beloved.” His hands caressed Dean’s back, feeling the warmth of his skin and the shapes of his muscles.

Dean chuckled. “You’re such a lazy ass.” Before Castiel could glare him, Dean kissed him, making Castiel’s frustrations fade away. “Alright, Cas, let’s stay here for a few more minutes,” he mumbled as he relaxed onto Castiel, sighing contently.

Castiel kissed his temple and smiled. He closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the feeling of holding Dean in his arms, of feeling him on top of him, of feeling his soft breathing and his soft and almost lazy touches.

The bedroom was silent except for the chirping of the birds outside. It was quiet and peaceful, and Castiel loved it as much as Dean did.

Suddenly, Dean’s stomach growled and Castiel arched his eyebrow at which Dean responded with a smirk. “Time to get up,” Dean said, still wearing that cocky grin.

“I hate your stomach.”

“Oh, yeah?” He arched his eyebrow as he knelt on the bed. “I’ve got marks of your kisses that show otherwise.”

Castiel rolled his eyes and sat down, until he and Dean were face to face. “Your cockiness is insufferable, Mister Winchester.”

“I thought you found my sense of humor insufferable, Mister Winchester.”

“Both are insufferable and terrible.”

Dean laughed, and Castiel could no longer be mad at him. He grinned and looked at Dean with heart eyes. Dean cupped his face and kissed him, sweetly. “We’re so fucking terrible,” Dean stated in between chuckles.

Castiel placed his hands on Dean’s, pulling them from his face and kissing his knuckles before his thumbs caressed them. “We aren’t that bad, Dean.”

Dean grinned and kissed him briefly. “C’mon, we’ve gotta take a bath.”

They got out of bed and walked towards the bathroom, holding hands as they walked. They got the bath ready together and they got inside the bath together, kissing and caressing each other for a while before they washed each other. They did that every morning and they both loved it. It was a great way to start the day.

After they were cleaned, they got out of the tub and dried before they went back to their bedroom and got dressed. Dean always dressed up with pants and a shirt, while Castiel dressed up with dress pants, a shirt and waistcoat. He did no longer have to follow a dress code, but he liked wearing waistcoats. And he knew that Dean loved seeing him wearing one.

“Are you gonna work on your new book before you go to see Gabe?” Dean asked when he finished tying his boots.

Castiel hummed in affirmation. He had already published a book and now he was writing a new one. He always wrote on Dean’s studio because he always found inspiration by just looking how Dean painted. “I think I finally know how I’m going to work on my incoming plot twist.”

Dean grinned “Awesome.”

They went downstairs, to the kitchen, to make breakfast. Dean made all the solid elements while Castiel prepared the beverages. He still had a lot to learn about cooking, but he was good at making tea and coffee. Dean was an amazing cook, and everything he cooked was delicious. Castiel tried to help him in everything he knew, which was little, but Dean always appreciated the help.

They also worked together on the orchard. Castiel had never cultivated food before, because his family thought that was for peasants, but there was something really fulfilling in being able to make something grow. They also shared the duties around home, like washing the clothes, cleaning the house, etcetera. Once they started living together, both of them found a quick and easy routine.

After breakfast, they went to the studio. Dean was working on a painting he was commissioned and Castiel worked on his book. They tended to chat a lot, especially when they needed a break or when inspiration didn’t come. Other times, they spend it in silence, concentrated on their respective works, but it always felt great.

“Cas,” Dean said. Castiel looked up at him and saw Dean with a sweet smile on his face. “It’s midday.”

Castiel looked at the sun. “Already?”

Dean chuckled. “Yeah.”

“I lost track of time.” He stood up and left his stuff on the desk they had installed for Castiel several months ago. They build it together, and Castiel loved it. He loved seeing how many things he could do with just his hands.

“You always do.” Dean stood up as well and kissed Cas’ cheek when he was next to him. “You are quite a mess sometimes.”

He huffed. “Look who is talking.”

Dean laughed. They walked towards the kitchen and they got out to the backyard, where Emmanuel was. Castiel took his horse with him so it would be easier for him to go to palace every time he had to attend a meeting with his brother. Even he and Dean went on that horse where both were needed.

“I will come back soon,” Castiel said before kissing Dean and getting his arms around him.

“Don’t worry, take all the time you need,” Dean said, kissing him again. They pulled away and Castiel got on his horse. “Have fun,” he added with a teasing smirk.

Castiel rolled his eyes. “Politics are never fun, Dean.”

Dean grinned and approached the horse, standing on the tips on his toes so Castiel could lean and kiss him. “I’ll be waiting for you inside.”

Castiel smiles. “I know.” His hands caressed Dean’s cheek, feeling his husband’s warmth and how he leaned into the touch. He finally pulled his hand away and rode away, towards the palace.

The sun was coming down by the time Castiel arrived home. Sometimes the meetings with Gabriel were brief, other times they were long. Still, Castiel played a big part on the politics, and so did Dean, Sam, Jess, Charlie, Kevin and Dorothy. Things had improved for the people in the country regarding to civil rights, education and health, but there was still so much work to do.

Castiel put his horse in the stable and almost ran towards the porch. When he opened the door, he found Dean, making dinner. He turned his face from the stove and looked at Castiel with that beautiful grin he only made for Castiel.

“Hey, Cas.”

“Hello, Dean.”

Castiel walked the distance that separated them and kissed him, both of them making little moans into it. Castiel sighed happily and leaned his forehead on Dean’s, his hands stroking up and down Dean’s arms.

“Long day?” Dean asked as he got his arms around Castiel’s waist.

Castiel hummed. “Long day. We have too much to work on. We should tell Sam and Charlie to tell the rest that we should meet in a couple of days in palace. There are some things we need to discuss, good things, but it is going to be laborious.”

“When aren’t things laborious?”

Castiel smiled. He looked at Dean, seeing how those green eyes were full of love; they always were when Dean looked at Castiel. The same could be said about Castiel’s eyes.

“Details can wait until tomorrow,” Dean said, getting Cas a little bit closer to him, until there wasn’t any space left in between them. “You’re at home now.”

Castiel grinned and kissed Dean, cupping his face. “Yes, I’m at home.” He rested his cheek on Dean’s shoulder and nuzzled his neck. He got his arms around Dean and hugged him. “I love you.”

Dean’s embrace became tighter and he kissed his dark hair, and Castiel could feel Dean’s smile. “I love you.”

Castiel moved his face and smiled before he kissed Dean again. He was at home with the man he most loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has read and for all the lovely messages you have left me. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much I enjoyed writing it. Thank you so much, really :')


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